#Pirate race arc

[mr-glove]

Another ½ transformation for Shantae/Tyger hood

I was brainstorming for abother transformation for Shantae's pirate persona. And with her hood and equipment she got during GW2L I really wanted to give her some more assassin/ninja transformation. But I also tend to switch from arcs and volumes to avoid myself from losing intest.

And so as I was adding some stuff for ½GH pirate race (the carpet race doesn't appear in my AU), and there's a giant mountain. My brain went: Isn't there an animal that's called the ninja master of the mountains? And I immediantely went to the ibex as the prime animal for the new transformation.

But after I full had the concept in my head I went "wait this feels familiar" and then I realized I was making Haiji Gotou from Killing bites. But since I'm already too deep into the idea,

But just imagine she wears a jacket with a face mask like this

[starrysharks]

want to insert an oystar - focused short arc into ultimate excalibur that takes place entirely in cosmorgana but idk if it'd go after or before shard race arc ... ???

[raayllum]

watching The Dragon Prince is a problem because every time people express discontent with another cartoon show it's almost always something TDP did really fucking well so i just default to like.

you want multiple fleshed out villains / antagonists with backstories and well developed motivations who are also wrong and not let off the hook for their actions? say hello to viren, aaravos, claudia, karim, and more.

you want varied queer rep and multiple trans/nb characters? meet an assassin and a blacksmith and a god and a sign language interpreter and a boy who loves plants and his unhinged girlfriend and married queens and rival enemies to lovers wlw who are now planning their wedding.

you want complex family dynamics regarding culture, legacy, power, and abuse? meet the mage fam, the sunfire royal family, the two main princes, adopted children with four parents, step and half siblings and blended families, etc, all explored in their heart and messiness.

you want varied and in depth character for disabled characters and characters of colour? you have a helpful blind pirate and a bitter blind dragon and a sweet amputee wolf and a deaf lesbian general who's also asian. 2/3 main characters are biracial. every couple is interracial. elves and humans alike have a variety of races and we see all of them on display.

you want to explore cycles of violence and healing and grief and war and found family? you want interesting and varied magic systems? you want ethical dilemmas and grey morality and characters being forced to make bad choices for good reasons? well done redemption arcs that still feel fresh, discussions of culture and religion and the death penalty? friends and family becoming enemies and enemies becoming friends and family?

watch The Dragon Prince.

[laura1633]

Here are all the lovely fics , I would be so grateful if you could give these fics a read and leave some nice comments for the authors who took the time to write them. 💕

It's been a great gun fight (You drew blood, I set myself on fire) by LeonSolo There will be one religion in Italy, Charles Leclerc. On his knees, he will pray to a God he was supposed to kill.

Red Light at Dawn by LuciThornz Five months ago Max was kidnapped by pirates. Miraculously he was found safe, and now his father has arranged for him to start courting the Governor’s son. But it’s not that simple, Max hasn’t told anyone the whole story of what happened at sea, getting captured was never part of the plan, neither was falling in love. Now Max has a plan to get back on the open ocean and find the pirate he fell in love with before it’s too late. The funny thing about plans is they never do go smoothly.

The Tortured Driver's Department by Shadow_reads Prompt Fill for Lestappen Birthday Challenge:  Charles said he'd love to have his own F1 team in the future, and Max already has Verstappen.com. Max is also experienced and is most suited to being a team principal. Their shared retirement arc is where they own a team together: Charles handles the press conferences and media, while Max focuses on the data and strategy.

Forever Love by stealmysunshine Charles isn’t going to wait around for Max to pop the question. Who says that there is a preordained question popper? There are two people in this relationship and Charles has every right to show Max just how precious he is and make him feel loved.

(k)not in public by bananasomg When Max accidentally invites friends to tag along on his and Charles' holiday to Greece (which Charles has coined their mating oasis trip), Charles isn't phased, and Max is easily convinced. Hallowed Ground by crimsonmidnight When an FIA racing law forces Omega Charles to take part in a mandatory mating hunt after getting the Sauber seat, Alpha Max vows to do everything it takes to claim him as his own.

The Wait Is Worth It by crimsonmidnight Max Verstappen's adventures in purchasing a fucking machine and using it when Charles gets an attitude.

Sutures by jadesaturn After years of grueling battles, academic rivals Max and Charles part ways upon graduating from medical school until they meet again as surgical interns at the same hospital. Their age-old feud continues, as expected. Grey’s Anatomy Enemies to Lovers but make it Formula 1.

A taste of the divine by (anonymous on ao3) female!Charles ends up losing her virginity to Max and he is going through it.

i'd wanna hold you (just for a while) by Kashoot Charles doesn't normally want to regress, choosing to ignore his needs in favor of keeping busy with all his other obligations. "I'm a racing driver, Max, not a baby!" Max knows better.

Preloved by LaurawritingF1 After getting caught up in another scandal, Charles, the crown prince of Monaco, is sent to an 'Omega Establishment' to find himself an omega in the hopes it will settle him down. Charles is not at all interested in picking out a pretty housewife for himself and is intending to return home empty handed until he meets Max, an omega housed up in the 'Preloved' section of the establishment and clutching hold of his pup tightly.

Everything Changes, Yet Nothing Does by Shadow_Reads The sun was setting over Monaco, casting a warm golden glow over the city. The gentle sound of waves lapping against the shore provided a serene backdrop, contrasting with the turbulent emotions swirling within Charles. Tonight was the night he would ask Max to spend the rest of their lives together.

how you get the boy(s) by amelielacy In which world-famous streamer Max falls in love with artsy single dad Charles.

Hunting Love by himmywimmy Charles becomes an unwilling participant in the pack’s annual mating run and to protect himself, he asks his alpha friend, Carlos, to catch him. But as the night of the mating run unfolds, another alpha seemed to be on the hunt for him.

5 moments of chaos and +1 moment of peace by LaurawritingF1 Charles and Max are retired and dealing with the chaos of looking after their children during the summer vacation. Jimmy, Sassy and Leo also make appearances. Them the breaks, they don’t come gently by imamessofawriter “They just announced that Charles is retiring.” Charles suddenly announces his retirement and then appears to disappear completely.

[buckysxgal]

I'd Let The World Burn - Eustass Kid x Reader

Picture I got from Pinterest - It's a screencap from One Piece

Summary: Just a little snippet of you and Kid during the Raid of Onigashima.

Word Count: 870

Details: Set in Wano Arc (specifically in Onigashima). Established Relationship. this is during the Big Mom fight. Kid saves the reader (and Nami, Usopp, and Otama by association). Kid calls reader 'Doll'. I tried to keep specifics about Reader (gender, race, etc.) out, if i missed something please let me know and I can fix it! I want this to be readable for EVERYONE. I listened to LET THE WORLD BURN by Chris Grey while writing this.

Also posted on AO3

Floral Banner and Support your Creators banner from @saradika

“WHERE ARE THEY?!” A voice bellowed out. The voice could be heard all throughout Onigashima. Currently, I was running with Nami, Usopp and Otama through the hallways of the castle. 

“Who the hell was that?” Nami said, startled, looking around for a person to match the voice while we ran. We turned right down another hallway only to bump into Big Mom again. She was now targeting Otama because she was ‘going against her’ by running away from her with us.

“I don’t think we have time to question that Nami.” I said while pointing up to Big Mom who was gearing up to attack. “What should I do about the ones I hate?” Big Mom started, speaking to her sword, the cloud and the sun floating around her. “I should kill them!” She screamed, lifting her sword up to strike.

Nami held the child closer to her body, and Usopp fell to the ground with a shout. I stepped closer to Nami and Otama, spreading my arms out and bracing myself with my eyes closed. Nami, Usopp and Otama’s screams were suddenly drowned out with the sound of metal scraping together. I looked up in awe, seeing my lover’s metal arm shooting out above us and hovering it in front of Big Mom’s face.

“You’re…!” Big Mom started before Kid attached his arm to her face and lifted and slammed her into the floor, cracking the floorboards with a call of Punk Gibson. His figure outlined appeared in the dust behind us as we all turned around to face our savior. Big Mom’s ally, the cloud that she called Hera, flew over to her asking if she was OK as she sat up.

“Kid!” Big Mom growled out. Kid came to a stop in front of us. Nami and Usopp let out simultaneous breaths of relief.

“Captain Kid!” They shouted, tears of joy and stars in their eyes.

“Go away, Straw Hats. This bastard…” Kid lifted his metal arm once more, metal from around the room latching onto his arm.

“Is my prey!” He continued. I smiled up at him as he looked down on me from my spot behind Nami, Otama, and Usopp, now noticing that I was here. He blinked a few times, staring at me processing my presence. 

“I’ve been looking for you all over.” He stepped closer to us and held out his non-metal arm beckoning me over. I stepped around the group and got closer to him. His hand came up to caress the side of my face, his thumb sweeping across my cheek.

“You hurt Doll?” He said gruffly. I shook my head ‘no’ and allowed him to press his forehead to mine. He stayed liked that for a moment before pulling away and shoving me behind him.

“Stay out of the way, Doll. I don’t want you getting hurt.” He muttered over his shoulder. I beckoned Nami, Usopp and Otama closer to me, stepping back from the fight. We started to run towards the performance hall I turned to look behind me and saw Kid cracking his neck gearing up to fight. 

“Kick her ass babe!” I yelled as I turned back to face Nami and Usopp. Nami looked over her shoulder to me and smirked at me.

“Doll?” She giggled.

“S-shut up.” I muttered as my cheeks grew hot. 

Time Skip to after the Raid - still on Onigashima

We had watched Kid and Trafalgar Law fight from a room off the performance hall. As soon as they cast Big Mom down that hole the two pirate captains fell to the ground, exhausted.

I ran down the steps towards where Kid was laying on the rubble. Nami, Otama and Usopp followed me, but stopped to fall in with the crowd surrounding the two exhausted pirate captains.

“Kid!” I screamed out, flinging myself onto his body, letting sobs wrack through my body.

“Please don’t scare me like that.” I whispered as I  let my hands curl into fists in his red fur coat. His non-metal arm came up and rested on the back of my head, stroking my hair as the sobs lessened. I could hear murmurs in the crowd, namely from the other pirate crews, wondering who I was.

“Don’t worry Doll, I ain’t going anywhere.” He whispered, placing a kiss against my hair. I smiled and lifted my head to look up at him. He sat up, lifting me with him and keeping me on his lap as he looked over me, assessing me for any injuries.

“What’s this?” He asked, pointing towards the scratch on my cheek. I lifted my hand towards it, remembering what happened.

“We were running from the fire, and I leaped out of the way of a burning piece of wood, landed on the floor, not gracefully, and scuffed my cheek.” I chuckled. He let his thumb graze it gently.

“I’m glad you made it out of this alive, Y/N.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, bringing me into his embrace again.

“Well of course Kid, can’t leave you behind can I?” I said, smirking up at the man, who returned the gesture. He placed a small kiss on the side of my forehead.

[honeyhoneypp]

Can We Be Together..?

One Piece men figuring out their feelings for you

What is that strange feeling they've been getting in their stomach lately when they're around you? Why does their heart race so much when you do such simple things like walking past them? Perhaps, this is the feeling us humans call “love.”

Hello, this is my first fanfic! And I’m sorry if I have some errors, english is not my first language! Also right now im in the Fishman Island arc, so if I get their personalities wrong please let me know! I’ll really appreciate it!

Female pronouns! Fluff + Angst on Sanji’s part

==================================

L U F F Y

Now, some people might think that Luffy doesn't understand the concept of love, but he's actually not that dumb, he understands what love is, he just never had the ideas of loving someone romantically or being in a relationship since his thoughts are only filled with "meat, king of the pirates and his crewmates".

But lately, his thoughts were also filled with you. He thought that he would never experience these kinds of feelings, but then he started to feel strange when he was around you… Of course, he didn't know what these feelings meant since he had never had these kinds of feelings before, so he decided to ask Robin what these feelings meant since he figured that she would know.

==================================

It was nighttime, everyone was on bed sleeping calmly, except for 3 people, Robin, Luffy, and you. Robin was watching at the front of the ship and you were at the back of the ship but Luffy couldn’t sleep since he kept thinking about you, he couldn’t get you out of his mind for some strange reason.

Luffy— “Dammit… why can’t I get you out of my mind?”

He kept murmuring to himself the same thing over and over again, until he gave up and decided to go ask Robin. He went to the front of the ship to ask Robin about all of these feelings, when he got to the front of the ship he saw Robin calmly watching her surroundings while drinking coffee.

Luffy— “Hey, Robin.”

Robin— “Oh, Luffy! What are you doing this late at night? Can’t sleep?”

Luffy— “Yup.”

Robin— “And why is that?”

Luffy— He sits next to Robin — “I just can’t stop thinking…”

Robin— “Thinking about..?”

Luffy— “____.”

Robin— “Oh? Can’t stop thinking about ____, huh?” — She smirks —

Luffy— “Yeah, I don’t know why but I have this funny feeling on my tummy when she’s around me, and I know it’s not from hunger…”

She nods, her suspicions about Luffy liking you becoming true, ever since she saw the way Luffy stares at you and how he shares his food with you, she started to get suspicious, but she never thought her captain would actually be in love with one of her crewmates.

Robin— “I see, do you feel something else when you’re around her?”

Luffy— “Yeah, my heart starts beating fast… fast like a drum!”

Robin— “Have you considered maybe you might like her?”

Luffy— “What does that have to do with anything? I like all of you guys!”

Robin— She laughs — “I’m not talking about that kind of liking, Luffy. I’m talking about liking her romantically.”

Luffy— “Romantically..? Oh, you mean like love?”

Robin— Nod —

Luffy— He turns his head to stare at the sky — “Love, huh..? But I never had those feelings for someone, why would I have those kinds of feelings now?”

Robin— “Well, those feelings are love symptoms, Luffy. Now, tell me, what do you like about her?”

Luffy— “What do I like about her? Hm… Let’s see…” — He thinks for a moment — “I like her smile, her eyes, her appearance, the way she looks at me, her personality, her hugs, how she has fun with me, the way she supports me, her smell, how kind she is, how she cares about us, her—“

Robin— “I get it, Luffy.” — She laughs — “Luffy, you clearly have feelings for her.”

Luffy— “…So I do have feelings for her, huh..?” — He laughs — “So what should I do now, Robin? Should I ask her to marry her like Boa does with me? Or…”

Robin— “Not at all, maybe you could ask her for marriage in the future but I don’t think that’ll be necessary right now. You should go and tell her how you feel, Luffy. Tell her all the things you like about her, but remember to always make her happy.”

Luffy— He turns around to see the back of the ship, where you were —

Robin— “So what are you waiting for? Go on, tell her.”

Luffy— He giggles — “You’re right, Robin. I should go tell her.” — He stands up and quickly goes into your direction —

Robin— She chuckles — “Never thought I’ll see my captain in love.”

Z O R O

He's a complicated guy, he knows he has feelings for you but he doesn't want to accept it, he just can't focus on that right now, his priorities are becoming the greatest swordsman, helping Luffy become king of the pirates and protecting his crew, he doesn't have time for some silly crushes!

He tries his best to push these feelings away, but he can't. Every time he sees you, his heart and breathing speed up, and the fact that you always pop into his mind at random doesn't help. This man ends up avoiding you at every opportunity because he can't hold a conversation with you without acting cold or stuttering a word or two. So, he finally gives up on ignoring these feelings and decides to ask Nami for help.

==================================

Zoro was training on the Crow’s nest, he had been working out more frequently lately, and the reason is you. You’re the reason of why he’s been working out more frequently, it’s the best way to avoid you and to stop thinking about you.

He can't help but hate how you pop into his mind at random times, he hates how he can't stop staring at you, he hates how he can't hold a conversation with you, he hates how some of his crewmates who are aware of his feelings for you can't help but tease him.

But what he hates the most is how the “shitty cook” flirts with you, he hates that he makes you laugh and that he can actually hold a conversation with you, he hates how he compliments you every chance he gets, he hates it.

But now none of that matters, he was focused on his training until you decided to pop in his mind, he got annoyed, really annoyed. He puts more plates on the bar to try to forget about you and focus on the heavy weights, but that doesn’t help at all.

He can't stop thinking about your lips, he can't stop thinking about your beautiful eyes and how they shine under the sun, he can't stop thinking about your beautiful skin shining under the sun, he loves everything about you when it comes to looks, he really loves your beauty.

He also loves your personality, he loves how strong you are, he loves how determined you are to achieve your goals, he can't stop thinking about the way you stand up for yourself when someone tries to belittle you, he loves your strong character.

But he also loves the other side of the coin, your kind and caring nature, he loves how you care about your crewmates and their well-being, he can't ignore how kind you are to everyone and how you try to make things right.

He finally decides to give up and sits on the floor to relax and think about everything that’s happening with his feelings. He doesn’t know what to do.

Zoro— “Dammit, woman… why can’t you just get out of my head?”

He stands up and quickly goes to the Sunny’s deck where he finds Nami sunbathing. He decides to ask her for some help with you.

Zoro— “Hey, Nami.” — He sits next to her —

Nami— “Oh, hey, Zoro! Do you need something?”

Zoro— He nods —

Nami— “Well… what is it?”

Zoro— “It’s about… ____…”

Nami— She smirks — “Oh, I get it now, you want me to help you get with her?”

Zoro— He nods embarrassed —

Nami— “Okay! That’ll be a million berries!”

Zoro— “WHAT?!”

Nami— She laughs — “Calm down I’m just teasing, Zoro.”

Zoro— He grits his teeth — “Whatever.”

Nami— “Okay! First of all, don’t act so cold with her! She hates it when you act that way, she even has mentioned that to me, and she’s sad because she thinks you hate her!”

Zoro— “…She… thinks I hate her?”

Nami— Nod — “So stop acting so cold with her, got it?!”

Zoro— He simply nods, he can’t believe he’s been making you feel this way —

Nami— “Second, be honest with her about your feelings, you can’t just be lying to yourself about not having a crush on her, tell her how you appreciate her looks and how you’ll buy her everything she wants.”

Zoro— “Okay…”

Nami— “And third of all, don’t hurt her feelings anymore, make her happy, make her smile, you always see how Sanji flirts with her and makes her laugh, so why don’t you do the same?”

Zoro— He sighs — “You’re right.”

Nami— “You know, you should go talk to her and tell her how you feel.”

Zoro— Nod — “Thanks for the advice, Nami.” — He stands up to go look for you —

Nami— “Oh! One last thing. Zoro!”

Zoro— He turns his head around — “Hm?”

Nami— “Go take a shower, she doesn’t like stinky men.”

Zoro— He gasps — “SHUT UP!”

S A N J I

Sanji is another complicated man, as he flirts with any slightly attractive woman he sees, and you were no exception… well, that was at the beginning, until of course, he started having other feelings for you, it wasn't just lust anymore, but they were also romantic feelings.

He knows how much he loves you, he knows how much he needs you, but he can't talk to you without stuttering, he feels like his heart is going to jump out of his chest every time he sees you, and when you talk to him his breathing fades quickly.

He wants to talk to you, he wants to let you know how much he loves you, but he can't help but get nervous when he gets any closer to you, making every interaction the two of you have dry. Usopp notices his feelings for you and decides to help him.

==================================

Sanji was quietly cooking dinner, but then you walked through the kitchen door with a big smile ready to ask Sanji if he needed help with his cooking. Sanji senses your presence but instead of turning around he freezes and starts thinking about you.

Your soft, beautiful, glowing skin, oh how he wishes he could gently caress your delicate skin, your pretty lips, and how he wishes he could touch them with his own lips. Your beautiful, beautiful eyes, he just wants to look at them for the rest of his life.

Sure, you're the most beautiful woman he's ever seen, but it's not all about looks with you. He also loves your gentle personality, he loves how you always treat him right and how you're always there for him, he loves how you always stand up for yourself, he loves your kind and fierce nature.

But one thing he can't think about or he'll get an instant nosebleed is touching your beautiful, naked curves-

— “Hi, Sanji! I just wanted to come and help you finish dinner, only if you need any help of course!”

Sanji— He quickly snaps out of his imagination —“I- No, thank you… I’m okay.”

— You freeze in your place, why was he acting so dry with you lately? did you do something wrong that made him upset? — “Um… are you sure? I can help you wash the dishes!”

Sanji— “No, thank you.”

— You bite your lip — “Okay.”

You quickly walk away from the kitchen with teary eyes but Usopp was about to enter the kitchen, he was surprised to see your teary eyes.

Usopp— “____? Hey, are you crying? Are you ok-“

You quickly ran off to the girls' dorm, not wanting your crewmates to see your pathetic crying, how can you cry over a man? That would be stupid. Usopp quickly entered the kitchen only to see Sanji leaning his elbows on the counter and scratching his head in frustration.

Sanji— “Stupid, stupid, stupid… why can’t I just talk to her like a normal person” — He says to himself —

Usopp— “Sanji? Did you said something to ____?”

Sanji— “What? Why are you asking..?”

Usopp— “Well I just saw her running away to the girl’s dorm, and I’m pretty sure I saw her crying.”

Sanji— He opens his eyes like plates — “Crying?! ____ was crying!?”

Usopp— Nod —

Sanji— “I need to go see-“

Usopp— “Wait, Sanji! Give her some time!”

Sanji— “But… she’s crying…”

Usopp— “I know, but let her have some time.”

Sanji— He sighs but he only nods —

Usopp— “What did you said to her to make her cry?”

Sanji— “I didn’t said anything! I swear! I just… I guess I was talking dry to her…”

Usopp— “You were talking dry to her, huh? Why is that? Do you not like her? Because you always flirt with every woman, but I noticed that you haven’t been flirting with ____…”

Sanji— “Well, yeah. But that’s because I can’t help but be nervous around her, it’s not only lust, it’s also romantic feelings, I love her Usopp. But I feel like my heart is going to pop out of my chest when I feel her presence…”

Usopp— “Oh, so you like her, wow. I never knew Mr. Pervert could be nervous around a woman.”

Sanji— He sighs — “I know, I know.”

Usopp— “Look Sanji, ____ likes you b-“

Sanji— A little bit of blood comes out of his nose — “SHE LIKES ME?!”

Usopp— “Shut up! Calm yourself down! Yes she likes you, and I’ll give you some advice, Sanji. So listen carefully.”

Sanji— nod —

Usopp— “You have to stop flirting with every woman you see, dude! Because every time you flirt with a woman I see how sad she gets, so that’s a habit you have to stop, you have to be loyal to ____!”

Sanji— “Humm…”

Usopp— “Also you have to stop getting so nervous with her, look what your nervousness caused! I get why you’re feeling this way but that’s something you really have to work on if you don’t want to hurt her feelings anymore.”

Sanji— “I know, Usopp. I hate that about me…”

Usopp— He puts a hand on his shoulder — “Hey, now! Don’t get gloomy, our next destination will be really soon, how about you buy her some flowers and tell her how you feel about her?”

Sanji— He smiles — “That’s a great idea! Thank you Usopp!”

Usopp— “Anytime! Just don’t try to get nervous around her and talk to her normally, remember the things I told you okay?” — He walks out of the kitchen —

Sanji— He nods happily and goes back to cooking, perhaps he’ll prepare a delicious drink for Usopp to show his appreciation —

==================================

Maybe I’ll make a part 2 with them confessing their feelings for you! Let me know if you want me to do this with other characters! :)

[echos-gal]

ok i'm rapidly losing hope that Tech is still alive, and this sucks because it was basically the top thing i desperately wanted from this season. i wanted to see him survive. so here's my exhaustive and embarrassingly long list of reasons why he SHOULD still be alive, and if he isn't, why it was a missed opportunity. obviously no hate to the writers or anything, i love them dearly for creating this show!!!

(if you're a "Tech should stay dead for the stakes/so someone in SW stays dead for once/i hate delusional Tech stans" person, kindly keep scrolling, this ain't for you)

SEASON 2:

right from the start, Romar connects with Tech and calls himself "a survivor." HELLO???

in this same arc, Tech breaks his leg in a fall which he survives. he continues to walk on it, fighting off troopers to save Echo & Omega, showcasing his persistence and grit.

one of Phee's first lines is "better late than dead," and we know she shares a connection with Tech. she flirts with him later in this scene. it would be a shame not to reuse this line, i'm just saying....

Cid still owes Tech for racing for her in Faster. we see Cid looking miserable as she betrays the batch in Plan 99, so her playing a part in his rescue/comeback would be a nice way to show her growth. (i'm afraid there isn't enough time for this, though- as much as i thought a Cid redemption was on the horizon!)

Phee and Tech's departure is awkward, and although we have some context from season 3 (they talked more than we realized), the scene would do best if reconciled in person imo. it felt like it was setting up for something, and feels weird to leave hanging.

"don't go running off with any pirates or smugglers" could not have just been a throw away line. it set up for him to do exactly that. how fitting would it be if pirates or smugglers actually did manage to pick him up before the empire made it to the railcar crash site?

Hemlock's retrieval of the goggles shows that he sent a team to look through the wreckage. he thought there was a chance Tech survived, and may have him.

i won't go into the logistics, but big falls ARE survivable. in star wars especially. we have no idea what was below the layer of clouds/mist Tech fell through.

SEASON 3:

this is mostly CX-2 centric. their armor is very similar: the jaw/mouth shape, the hexagons over the ears, the rectangles on the chest, and the pouches/pockets.

"domicile." that is all.

CX-2 uses technology more than the other operatives we've seen, and he gets past the encryption on Phee's ship with ease.

"who are you?" was enunciated in the exact same way Tech says it to Trace and Rafa, which i definitely think was intentional.

CX-2 stops to use his rifle scope in the exact same spot where Tech and Phee stood to let down the ladders in the sea surge on Pabu.

he survives a waterfall plunge on Teth, which appears to have fooled Rex's group into thinking he'd died. the writers could have killed him off there and sent a new operative, but they chose to stick with CX-2 pursuing them to Pabu.

it's worth noting that while this CX is designated as "2," Tech's CT number is CT-9902. he is associated with the number even on a visual level: he's a dual-wielder, he wears goggles, he salutes with two fingers.

FROM A STORY PERSPECTIVE:

firstly, i am sorry and i LOVE the writers, but if you want people to accept a character's death, you've got to show his family and friends' grief. we saw no reaction from Crosshair or Phee, no tears from Hunter or Echo. it feels like fans were sadder about Tech's death than the characters in the story.

Tech seems to have been mentioned more in the second half of season 3 than the first half, which works if they want to bring him back in the finale.

the finale is called "The Cavalry Has Arrived." i really don't think you can have the cavalry (aka the bad batch) arrive without every member present. i also don't think it would feel right to play their theme without Tech there. idk, that feels incomplete!

we saw no body, and Hunter received Tech's goggles not from a trusted ally or friend, but from Hemlock. this calls into question the legitimacy of his claim that the goggles were "all he could salvage."

Tech alive and being held on Tantiss would provide a nice parallel to Echo in the first mission where we meet the batch, in TCW. and [ep 14 SPOILERS] we see that Echo is currently looking more like his TCW self, with his earpiece removed.

feels kinda sour that a character who a lot of people related to as neurodivergent representation would die just a few episodes after having a deep conversation with his sister about it.

likewise (and as a white woman i can't speak for WOC), from what i have seen, Black women are rarely the main love interest of a series! Phee is the ONLY love interest in this whole show, and it would suck to just cut off that romance before it could really become something. a lot of people wanted to see TechPhee become canon.

CX-2 is the one who destroys the marauder. it works well storywise for its pilot to have been the one to do that- the person who worked so hard modifying it, flying it, and teaching his sister to fly it. i'll be lowkey pissed if it turns out some random dude blew it up.

it's also CX-2 who invades and sets fire to Pabu. this is emotionally gripping on its own, but if he is Tech, it's even more so.

we have no idea what the operatives go through. Crosshair isn't telling, but it clearly put him in a really bad place. if Tech underwent this conditioning in his post-fall injured state, there's a chance he could come back from it. Emerie is probably the key to this, if they take the CX-2 route.

this show is all about a family trying to stay together as the Empire desperately tries to rip them apart. seeing the whole family together again - even if not everyone survives - in the finale is the satisfaction that the show ideally would go for. the last time they were all together was the season 1 finale. that was about 2 years ago in the show's timeline.

leaving Crosshair and Tech's final interactions be where they parted on the Kamino platform also feels off. Tech was the one who really vocalized the need to rescue Crosshair in season 2's finale. Crosshair, in the meantime, has changed significantly as a person. Tech's comment about Crosshair being "severe and unyielding," and unable to change this facet of his nature, is incorrect. leaving Tech dead would mean that he never gets to see this change in Crosshair, which makes me feel like a deflated balloon.

FROM MY SELFISH PERSPECTIVE!!!

give me Tech with cool scars and slightly disheveled longer hair. this is such a good opportunity for the creators to give him a sweet new look!

we never got to see Tech without his goggles on, despite Phee constantly referring to his eyes. he definitely doesn't have them right now (they're in the Archium), so we could get Mister Big Brown Eyes if he's alive. it's another missed opportunity if not, imo!

the goggles being placed in the Archium was a beautiful scene that makes me tear up whenever i think about it. it's symbolic, it's bittersweet, and it's exactly where the goggles belong. but was it closure for me? not really.

Tech is a character who became a LOT of people's favorite in season 2, including my own. why kill off a fan-favorite with an entire season to go?

yes, i desperately want a Rex and Echo series. yes, i want the batch to cameo in it, and yes... that includes Tech. making up for lost season 3 Tech content 😎

the finale will feature the zillo beast, and Tech loves the zillo beast. FREE HER! REUNITE THEM! he would love to witness her rampage.

FROM A "SURPRISE!!!!!" PERSPECTIVE

it seems like most people think Tech is either CX-2 or dead. it would be a great finale twist if we DID get CX-2's identity, it's NOT Tech, the audience loses hope, and then he shows up. i think this is actually plausible given the other assassin schematics Hemlock was looking at in Point of No Return. Tech might be in Hemlock's grasp, but not an active operative. having an enhanced clone to toy with is something Hemlock would want to keep under wraps. we see him step out of the assassin chamber at the start of that episode - if Tech is anywhere on Tantiss, i think it's here.

i think the writers have expected us to have all lost hope by now, so his finale reappearance would ideally come as a shock. the finale is almost guaranteed to be a very long episode, so we really might have quite a bit of time to explore his return, if it happens.

secret 16th episode: i know, i'm putting my clown makeup on as i type this. but the previous 2 seasons each had 16 episodes, with a two-parter finale. season 3 is just 15, with a single episode finale. TBB formally ends may 1st, so what if we get a may 4th surprise episode detailing how Tech survived? (that or an epilogue leading into a new series, which i think is more likely actually!)

[linkspooky]

Dr. Venture vs. Enji Todoroki: How to Write Bad Dads

This is a post comparing two shows about two abusive dads who are the main characters instead of their children. My Hero Academia is a Shonen jump manga that takes inspiration from American comics and shonen manga. Whereas The Venture Bros is an adult swim cartoon that started out as a parody of Johnny Quest, and grew into a seven season long character study of former child star Rusty Venture.

The idea for this post came from the fact that I've noticed a common hot take from MHA fans that Endeavor's redemption arc is bad because it's wrong to make an abuser the main character.

I've always disagreed, and used The Venture Bros as an example of a show where making an abuser the main character works. Rusty is actually a well-liked character in the venture bros fandom. So my question is if these characters are both abusers why is one of them generally accepted and the other one so controversial?

Before we begin I want to say this is a story with fictional characters. Don't bring real life into the equation. We are doing literary criticism here and only talking about the events that happen in the story.

Anyway, My Hero Academia and The Venture Bros seem like the weirdest shows to compare but they are actually pretty similar. They are both comic book shows that are commentating on the comics they're inspired from.

What My Hero Academia is to Spiderman and Dragonball Z, Venture Bros is to Tom Swift Novels, the Hardy Boys, and old Hanna-Barbera Cartoons. They also make the decision to focus on the characters as people rather than heroes. They are telling the stories of real people that exist in a world overflowing with both heroes and villains.

1. Meet the Venture Brothers

If you've heard of the Venture Bros then you've probably heard of the premise that it's an adult parody of Johnny Quest. Johnny Quest for those of you who have a life and therefore haven't seen every old Hanna-Barbera Cartoon like I have is a show where eleven year old Johnny Quest travels around the world with his super scientist father Dr. Benton C. Quest and their bodyguard Race Bannon, going on adventures in Jungle Ruins or fighting villains.

In the Venture Bros the main character Dr. Thaddeus Venture is an emotionally abusive and neglectful father who constantly exposes his sons to danger in his trips around the world. Their bodyguard Brock Samson is a ultra violent and is basically a thirteen year old's idea of what a cool manly man is. The titular Venture Bros, Hank and Dean Venture are sheltered children who are constantly being chased around by men in costumes trying to kill them.

So the basic premise of the show lies in it's dark deconstruction of shows like Hardy Boys, Johnny Quest, these Tom Swift-esque stories where young boys go on adventures by showing the real dangers that children would be exposed to in that kind of life.

Between Johnny Quest, the Hardy Boys, and Tom Swift, what is up with these pie-eyed youths chasing pirates and international diamond thieves and stuff like that? They would get their throats cut the minute that stumbled upon a hideout. And that would be the gag. - ART AND MAKING OF THE VENTURE BROS.

The show does explore Hank and Dean's trauma, but despite the title of the show they are not the main characters. The protagonist is Doctor Thaddeus Venture who himself is other victim of the Boy Adventuring Lifestyle.

Dr. Venture: "Who was, for 43 years, the only son of Dr. Jonas Venture? Who, from the ages of 3 to 17 accompanied him on hundreds of adventures the chilling memories of which rouse him from sleep in a cold sweat to this day?"

Thaddeus used to travel around the world with his father the super scientist Dr. Jonas Venture who was a far more successful super scientist and hero. He's the former star of the "Rusty Venture Show" a cartoon based off of his travels with his father.

Jonas who continually neglected and gaslit him throughout his childhood to the point of not allowing him to go to therapy. He gaslit him so hard there's a scene where he literally pretends to be Rusty's therapist to tell his son to stop complaining.

Rusty: "So I don't know. Sometimes I wish I could just be a normal kid and go out and play with kids my own age and stuff. The only people I get to hang out with are grown ups. The only time I get to leave the compound is to go someplace creepy, like the Bermuda triangle, and then I get kidnapped, by grown ups. And I'm not even sure I want to be a super scientist when I grow up anyway, but I feel all this pressure because of my fa-It feels weird telling you this stuff." Jonas: "Remember Rusty, in here I'm your doctor not your father. Now let's get back to it shall we. You were telling me how you're ungrateful for all the opportunities your father's given you and you blame me for all your problems."

Rusty is both a washed up child star, and a faiilure to his father's legacy. He never formed an identity outside of being the star of the Rusty Venture show or the son of Jonas Venture. He drags his kids all around the world on crazy super science adventures because that's what he knows.

The central premise of the Venture Bros is that Rusty is basically stuck and cannot meaningfully grow up into an adult and his own person, despite the fact he is now a single father trying to raise two sons. The central theme is about three generations of one family, and what it says about the complicated nature of family itself,

As Rusty is both the victim and the perpetrator of the abuse it makes sense he is the main character the story centers around because he's the central link between Jonas and the Twins.

The themes can be summarized in one line said towards the end of the show:

BEN "Just a watch. Tells the time in two time zones. That fourth hand there? Little date window? Those are called complications. Complications make a watch special. More complications the more value. Read the engraving Jonas put on the back there. Elige Tua. It's Latin for Choose your family. Blood doesn't make a family, love does. Choose your family and remember that complications make it special."

In other words it's a seven season long show on how family is complicated.

2. Keeping up with the Todorokis

My Hero Academia is about a lot of things, but the central premise is that in a society where he quirk you were born with can determine a lot about your life, one boy without a quirk sets out to prove that anyone can be a hero.

If Complciations make it special is the central theme of Venture Bros, then the central theme of My Hero Academia is two sentences. "All People are not created equal" and "Anyone can become someone's hero" both said at different points in the story. The story itself is about Deku's attempts to overcome the first statement, that he was not born equal but he deserves to be a hero as much as anyone else because he represents the true spirit of heroes. That heroes don't just show up to beat the big bad, a hero saves people.

The story isn't just about Deku though. We're not even going to talk about Deku in this post, but rather the Tritagonist Todoroki Shoto.

Todrooki is introduced as a foil to Deku someone who is born with an extremely powerful quirk, but who's been groomed from childhood to be a hero.

Shoto's father Enji Todoroki is All Might's ultimate rival. In the world of MHA hers are highly commercialized and ranked by popularity and achievements and Enji has been number two his entire life. He decided to conceive of an heir that could surpass All Might instead.

He purchased a wife with an ice quirk for an arranged marriage to selectively breed for a child with a fire and ice quirk. When Shoto was born he raised Shoto up as a hero, forcing him through grueling training sessions from a young age, and beating his wife when she tried to intervene for Shoto's sake.

That's a lot and I didn't even cover all of it. After this reveal of Shoto's backstory, Enji seems like he's only going to be a one note abuser to give Shoto a tragic backstory to angst over.

However, later on in the show Enji ifinally becomes the number one hero only to realize how empty his lifelong dream has been. He feels remorse for the family he destroyed in pursuit of that dream and starts wanting to make ammends. After this , Enji basically becomes the second most important character of the "Todoroki Family" arc. . A lot of focus is put on Enji's attempts at atonement to the point where some accuse him of stealing the spotlight from his victims.

These two families have a lot in common. They are basically families who are not allowed to have normal lives because the patriarch of the family is a costumed hero. The hero is also someone who is generally well-respected and is considered extremely successful in their chosen career, but are terrible to their family members. They are a hero to the world and a villain to their own family.

If there is a central premise to the Todoroki Family outside of MHA's analysis of what exactly makes a hero, it's this:

Todoroki Shoto: "As a hero this endeavor guy is pretty darn amazing. But it's just like Nasu said. I'm not ready to forgive you... for abusing mom. So, heroics aside. What sort of dad are you going to be? That's what I want to find out?"

The challenge is if Endeavor can choose his family over being a hero.

You can se the parallels in Venture Bros, as Rusty's main struggle is to try to be a father to his twin sons and help them grow up while at the same time struggling in this dangerous worlds of super science. Rusty is a super scientist constantly getting chased around by guys in costumes, but he's also a normal father trying to raise two sons into adulthood with basically no idea what he's doing because he doesn't have a frame of reference for how fathers are supposed to act or what a normal childhood would even look like.

The comic book super scientist, and the comic book hero are expected to act like real fathers to their sons.

However, as I said above in Rusty's case it's pretty uncontroversial that he is the main character of his story, whereas Enji starts fights within the fandom very time he appears onscreen.

Why is this exactly?

It's not because it's offensive to have an abuser be the main character, but rather how these characters are written and how well they fit into their stories. As I said Rusty is naturally the main character of his story because he's the central link in the chain of abuse, but should Enji be the main character of the Todorokis? Does he fit as well as Rusty?

3. Who's your Daddy?

So as stated above Enji and Rusty simultaneously exist in worlds where heroes exist and yet they are also normal people who are expected to provide for their families and raise their kids. They both exist in what is basically the marvel universe, though in the case of Venture Bros it's the Marvel Universe fused with old Hanna-Barbera cartoons.

Because of this world some of the things both Enji and Rusty do are things that have no real life parallels. For example Rusty once created a machine using the soul of a dead orphan as a power supply. You can't do that in real life so I'm not going to use that as an example.

Both of these stories are drawing on real life parallels of parental abuse I'm going to be talking about those to tell what kind of neglectful parent each is.

Rusty raised Hank and Dean Venture as a single parent with the assistance of their body guard Brock Samson. They live on the Venture Compound and only leave when Rusty needs to take a trip around the world. Obviously, there's not many real life examples of parents taking their kids into egypt to fight mummies.

However, Rusty's main flaw as a parent is how much he shelters his children not allowing them to make their own choices. They are homeschooled until they are eighteen and almost never allowed to leave their home unsupervised. Rusty could be compared to a helicopter parent that feels the need to micromanage every aspect of their child's lives, sheltering them so much they're unprepared for the real world.

Rusty is a weird combination of controlling and neglectful, because while he doesn't let either of his childre go to public school aor interact with kids their own age, he constantly exposes them to danger. He is often disinterested in his kid's lives and puts most of the burden of protecting them and raising them on his bodyguard Brock, while he chases after whatever super-science project is occupying him at the moment. He's neglectful to dangerous extents too considering they're always getting cahsed around by crazy men in costumes.

Also, he lets them die a lot.

Hank and Dean have died several times over, only to be replaced by clones that Rusty grew in a lab with all the same memories. Once again there's no real life parallel to this, but it's interesting in the context of the show itself.

How do these children survive being chased by villains and constantly kidnapped? The answer is, they don't.

They die, and then Rusty just clones a new pair of boys. That in itself should make Rusty irredeemable but the show presents it in a more ambiguous light.

Dean: "You're telling me I'm a clone, that I'm not even Dean, that I'm some stupid science experiment." Ben: "No, no, no. You're Dean. There's no other Dean, you're it, flesh and blood. Look I was conceived in the back seat of a packard, you were conceived in a tank. So what?" Dean: "So I have no mommy? No nothing!?" Ben: "Dean, you have it all wrong. You have a mommy, and your dad is your dad. They made you by getting drunk and forgetting to wear a condem like everybody else, and your dad loved you so much that when you got a boo-boo, he kissed it and made it all better and made it go away." Dean: "You brought me back to life." Ben: "Yeah okay, well you and your brother had some pretty big boo boos. Have a kid one day, Dean. Hold it's lifeless body in your arms, and then tell me how wrong it is. Jonas, me, and yes your dad, saw it as nothing more than a fucking band-aid for a really big boo boo."

In the story itself it brings up the argument that if any parent was holding their dying child in their arms they'd want to bring them back somehow. That in the logic of the show it's the same as using magic to revive someone from the dead. At the same time it's not because Rusty's let his sons die multiple times and never changed his lifestyle because he can just keep replacing them with clones.

Super-science aside, it is kind of a metaphor for Rusty's parenting as a whole that his sons have been cloned and replaced so many times they're perpetually sixteen and never allowed to grow up. Rusty's so neglectful he's never taken an interest in raising them and this is the result, they literally do not grow up.

It's also probably relevant to mention that Rusty himself is a clone and died and was replaced multiple times much like his sons, and the technology for cloning Hank and Dean was invented by his father Jonas.

However, after season 3 the cloning lab gets destroyed, and the body guard Brock leaves the family. With the safety net removed Rusty actually starts taking a more active role in both of his child's lives. This is basically a mirror to Endeavor's moment of realization after getting number one hero that his entire family has grown up without him and they all resent him.

Season four onwards Hank and Dean develop into their own people outside of Rusty. He responds to them in different ways but he's actually parenting them this time instead of shoving them away like annoyances. Hank becomes rebellious and fights back against Rusty for a long time after Brock leaves because he no longer has a role model and Rusty's response is to always get strict and punish him.

Whereas when Dean rebels not only does Rusty tolerate it, he also spends a lot more time in Dean's life trying to push him into the direction of being a super-scientist like him, supporting his efforts to go to college, while basically ignoring Hank. It's a running gag in the show that Dean is obviously Rusty's favorite, but even when playing favorites Rusty by this point in the show has reasons for why he's making those parenting choices.

Rusty: "Dean believes in this crap! He should have been Rusty Venture, Boy adventurer. Hank got this life thrown at him. And he fights against it. Just like I did."

Rusty playing favorites comes from an attempt to overcorrect for both children. He rejects Hank because he believes Hank doesn't want to be a boy adventure and therefore pushing Hank away from his family and the Venture lifestyle is what he needs. Whereas, he believes that Dean embraces the super scientist lifestyle and he tries to mentor Dean into another scientist like himself therefore he gives Dean most of his attention because he thinks Dean needs that guidance from him.

Of course, Rusty is totally wrong about his sons. If anything Hank is the one who wants to be an adventurer whereas Dean just wants a normal life away from his crazy family but parents often misunderstand their children. He's not actively malicious, he's just misguided in what he thinks is best for each of his sons. He's not really even playing favorites in this case he's choosing to parent his sons differently based on what he thinks is best for each of them, it's just in this case father doesn't know best.

Rusty isn't a stagnant character, but also there's no big redemption arc for him the way there is Endeavor. Rusty never narrates about how he needs to atone for his past mistakes. The result is Rusty is a far more amoral character than Endeavor because he's not trying to atone but the narrative also isn't trying to spin Rusty in any way. It's just showing you Rusty as he is, and with all the bad things he does he's still capable of loving his sons.

The question isn't really "Is Rusty redeemable?" but "When is Rusty gonna grow up?"

Then there's Endeavor (everyone starts booing) who is simultaneously a much better, and far worse person than Rusty.

Enji is honestly more comparable to Jonas, an incredibly successful hero who built a career and an empire in heroics and fame and then tried to force his son into that same lifestyle.He's the exploration of that same idea a supposedly great man with skeletons in his closet. Enji technically has saved thousands of people (such as Hawks one of the other main characters). A person who is so good at playing the role of a hero no one would ever expect there are skeletons in his closet.

"Rusty's father was more successful than you could ever imagine. Jonas Venture Sr. was a manipulative narcissist admired by the world for his scientific accomplishements and his hyper-masculine James Bond meets Doc Savage public persona. He's a geniuine villain who was able to take everything he wanted from the world by seamlessly fitting into the role of everyone's hero." [Source]

Jonas is like showing everything nasty about using someone like James Bond as a male power fantasy. He treats women like objects, he thinks he's aboe good and evil, he's effortlessly charming and suave and uses that to get what he wants out of people. Enji similiarly is everything that is wrong with the ideals of hero society. A society that glorifies flashy, strong quirks that are the best for taking down villains. The only person who even seems to care that he's number two is Enji himself, beause Enji is otherwise rich and succesful, a pillar of the hero community, and allowed to get away with a lot because of his position and influence.

Enji is at least a better hero than Rusty, because Rusty is an incompetent mad scientist who does stuff like mutate college interns into four armed freaks and build death rays.

However, as a parent strip away his status as a hero and Enji is little more than a show parent, pushing his children into a life they don't want in an attempt to live vicariously through them. Once again, resembling Jonas more than he really does Rusty. As Jonas forced Rusty to be a boy adventurer, and then made a cartoon out of it to make money like any show parent.

It's also the idea that generation put that kids into films and it was a very horrible selfish thing to do, they were doing trying to live out their own lives through their kids. That didn't exist before that was something that boomers brought to the world. "Oh I can't be these fun new things I'll make you be it." I think Jonas was a pioneer of throwing his kid at the world. I think Jonas was something of a boy adventurer himself, and made his kid be it. But also put his kid on TV to cash in the residuals. Jackson Publick, DVD Commentary

As stated above Enji gave up on his ambition to be the number one hero and so he decided to create a son with the right quirk to surpass All Might. He then pressured a woman into an arranged marriage, basically purchasing her from her parents and conceived four children until he got his designer baby.

Chapters 301-302 the wrong way to put out a fire, detail the slow descent of the Todoroki Household from Enji entering an arranged marriage with bad intention to create an ideal child to be heir to his legacy, into a full on child abuser. Enji is written like a normal person falling into a cycle of abuse, he never intended to hurt his children at first. Abusers aren't evil monsters, they're just people. Most abusers don't even think of themselves as abusers.

In fact he's shown positively bonding with his first born son who seems eager to learn to use his fire based quirk. He even mentions that he was alright at the time with the idea of Toya being the one to succeed him and letting go of his quirk experiment.

Enji only had kids to carry on his legacy, and only bonded with Toya because Toya was eager to participate in the training and become his heir. However, to give Enji some backstory it's quite clear the death of Enji's own father at a young age left him with no idea on how a father should act.

At a young age Enji witnessed his father attempt to save an innocent girl only to end up a burnt up corpse, and probably at that point conflated strength with being a good father. If his father had been strong enough he would have survived and continued to be a father to young Enji. At that point it's almost understandable that Enji thinks in his mind that earning his keep as the patriarch of the family, and being a powerful hero who will come home alive is the same thing as being a good father.

So Enji conflates masculine ideals of strength and heroism with being a good father, all the while not actually showing up to parent his kids. When Toya seemed like he could live up to Enji's expectations and be strong as a successor everything seemed fine.

However, Toya turned out to be disabled at which point everything in the household began to spiral out of control. After learning Toya could not use his quirk without burning himself, Enji tossed Toya aside and left raising him entirely up to Rei and then pressured her to have more children until one with his ideal quirk would be born.

Toya did not like his father ignoring him and began acting out for his attention. The response of everyone in the household was to politely tell Toya to shut up, because Enji while not being a parent is the money maker and authority in the household no one can stand up to him. When Toya's acting up got too out of hand, Enji would even hit Rei instead of just personally dealing with his son.

At the same time Shoto was finally born and being given his perfect heir after four attempts, Enji eagerly began training him. When Shoto resisted him, Enji stepped up to threats of physical violence and long grueling training sessions to force him to learn. All the while Toya continued to mentally spiral.

One day after his flames turned blue Toya asked his father to meet with him on Sekoto Peak. However that day Enji didn't show up, and Toya lost control of his flames starting a massive forest fire that killed him. Rather than changing anything after his firstborn's death, he doubled down and pushed Shoto even harder.

While being a far worse person, as a parent Rusty is far less malicious. He neglects his kids similarly to Enji at first, but when the safety net is removed and he can't keep cloning them anymore he actually does start taking a personal interest in their lives. Maybe it's too little too late because it's the 14th version of Hank and Dean but he does hear the wake up call and change his ways as a parent.

Enji always doubles down on ignoring his sons in favor of heroics when given the chance to be a father.

Even post redemption arc Enji behaves in the same way. There is no point in the story so far where Enji actively chooses to help or be a parent to one of his sons, when he can choose to be a part of a big important battle instead. Let me break out the list:

In the Pro Hero Arc Shoto sets the challenge for Enji to show what he can be like as a father rather than a hero.

In the internship arc Enji trains Shoto up as a hero but not a father. When he brings the family home to dinner they're attacked by a villain and Enji stands and watches as his son Natsuo gets kidnapped y a villain because he felt like it would be too awkward if he saved Natsuo because then Natsuo might feel inclined to forgive him.

In the War Arc aftewards Toya is revealed to be alive the entire time, and when given the chance to see his dead son come back to life, Enji not only does nothing but he sits and watches as his oldest son tries to kill his youngest without trying to talk to or appeal to Toya.

After the war arc, Enji doesn't bother looking for Toya and goes back to his job as a hero hunting down AFO. He also makes a promise to Shoto that they'll search for Toya together, only to break that promise multiple times.

In the second war arc, when Enji is given a chance to face Toya face to face, he instead sends his other son Shoto to fight him, while Enji fights against the big bad instead as the number one hero.

When Toya is literally dying and about to burn himself alive in front of him, Enji who has chosen to run away from Toya too many times by this point picks the murder suicide option and chooses to try dying with his son in a heroic sacrifice.

Every single chance he is given to act like a father, he acts like a hero instead. Enji Todoroki never steps out of the role of the hero Endeavor. Internally he's changed, yeah. He's remorseful now and realzies what he's done wrong. However, externally he hasn't. He doesn't do anything different. He neglected his family for his job his entire life so his way of making it up to them is... to keep going to his job.

The problem isn't whether or not he deserves to be redeemed, but rather that there's no change in his actions. Endeavor at the beginning of the story would have shown up to fight AFO in the war arc too, because being the hero is what he does. It's the only thing he does. The story never asks him to be anything other than a hero.

Which is I think a fundamental difference in Rusty and Enji in how they're written. Rusty is a flawed parent, but he's still a parent.

He does favor Dean over Hank, but that favoritism takes the form of him giving Hank more chores when Hank acts out, but when it's time for Dean to rebel giving him space and letting him have his own separate room in the attic. It's Rusty letting Dean have access to the family checkbook so he'll have spending money at college, but cutting Hank off from the checkbook because they agreed if Hank didn't want to go to college he needed to find a job to support himself.

Rusty is parenting these children. He's parenting them very badly, but he's still their parent. Enji never wanted to be a parent to begin with, he wanted to be his kid's abusive gymnastics coach. He wanted a prodigy that he could push and push until they won gold at the Olympics.

If you ignore the fantasy elements then you're left with how these men are shown interacting with their kids in their day to day lives.

Rusty has absolutely no idea what he's doing, so even when he has good intentions he screws up. However, he is making an effort to guide these kids.

Enji was an intentional manipulator more in line with Jonas. He controlled everything in the household, and was actively trying to groom Shoto into someone who would obediently carry on his legacy. He made the choice to isolate Shoto from his siblings so he'd have more control over him. Rusty keeps Dean and Hank away from kids their own age and from having a normal life because he never had a normal life. He doesn't even know what a normal life looks like.

Enji for most of his life didn't want kids, he wanted heirs. He even purchased a woman so his heirs would turn out with the right genetics, and tossed aside the ones that were disabled or born with the wrong quirk.

Rusty made the decision to become a parent on his own. In the last twist in the series it's revealed Dean and Hank had no mother. They were conceived in a test tube, raised in an artificial womb by Rusty himself. He is both their father and their mother. Kids were a deliberate decision on his part. He wanted to have a family, probably because his own childhood was so deprived of any familial love.

Dean: Okay, so who is our mom? Rusty: Seriously, Dean haven't we had enough family history for one day? I don't even know who my mom is. All you need to know is that the person who gave birth to you. I promise they do.

Remember as stated above the central thesis statement of Venture Bros is "Elige Tua - Choose your family". Rusty chose to bring those kids into the world because he wanted to be a father, it's an active choice his character makes.

Whereas the central statement of Endeavor's arc is "So, heroics aside. What sort of dad are you going to be? That's what I want to find out?" but we never witness Enji doing anything outside of being a hero.

Even post-redemption the only time he ever spends with Shoto is when they're either doing quirk training or working as heroes together. Toya as a character presents this challenge to him, because he's Enji's son, but he's also a villain who's killed innocent people. If he's acting as a hero he has to put a stop to Toya, but a father is supposed to put the safety and well-being of their children above everything else.

We never see Enji make that choice to be Toya's father over a hero. Which is why in story he comes off as a worse father than someone like Rusty, because he never makes any attempt to emotionally bond with his children.

Rusty will sit Hank and Dean down and tell them stories from his childhood. He'll find common ground with his sons to bond over because they've both been subjected to the boy adventurer lifestyle.

Rusty: Dean what are you doing? Dean: Hyperventilating into my knees. That smell a little like spit up... because I spit up a little. Rusty: Dean, you just baby burped onto a speed suit. Not a super scientist alive that hasn't coughed a little acid onto his speed suit. Dean: Really? Rusty: Why do you think these things are like 95 percent polyester? You can clean off fear-vomit with a wet nap. Dean: I thought you were used to this. Rusty: Dean I remember when the action man would wake me up with a gun pointed at my head. He'd just hold it there and pull the trigger. I'd hear the click really loud because it was right against my forehead. Dean: So it echoed. Rusty: Right, it sounded like he snapped one of my teeth out. Click! Then he'd go, "Not day Rusty. Not Today." Dean: Golly, and you took it because you had to? Rusty: No Dean, I took it because I was Rusty Venture. Boy adventurer. I didn't ask for this life, Dean, but it's mine. Sure, I fall down in the Speed Suit but I get up and Wet-Nap my puke off.

We never get any moments like this with Endeavor and his kids.

He only goes so far as apologizing for his past abuse. Yes, maybe it's cathartic hearing an abuser apologize for what they've done but that's not the question the story was asking. It wasn't asking "Can Endeavor be forgiven?" It was asking "What sort of dad are you going to be?"

The narrative challenged him to learn to act like a father to his family, and he never did. He stayed in the role of hero from beginning to end. It might be cathartic for his victims to hear him say sorry, but it's not good for Endeavor as a character because he hasn't changed and we've learned nothing about him. We already knew he was sorry at the beginning of the arc. Endeavor is sorry and knows he's done something wrong has already been established, but by Endeavor stepping out of the role of hero and acting like a father we could have learned something new about him or his character but no he stays the same from beginning to end.

They're both awful people but at the end of the day Rusty is a father, and Enji is not.

Stories are kind of like essays your English teacher used to force you to read. You need to make a thesis statement in the story itself, and then have evidence to support that thesis statement. The theme of Venture Bros is choose your family, and family is complicated, and in support of that theme we have Rusty choosing to connect with his sons. Jonas is basically nothing more than Rusty's biological father. Rusty's chosen a different way to connect with his sons, and he is their dad, and they can bond about the complicated lifestyle of being a Venture together.

The actions Enji takes in his story don't line up with his thesis statement. The Todoroki Family subplot is supposed to be about how one family was messed up because Enji only chose to have a family to further his career as a hero, and choosing his career again and again made things worse. The thesis statement was that Enji needed to choose to be a dad, but he's never shown doing that in the story.

So Enji as a character seems like he doesn't fit in with his narrative. Which is what I said at the very beginning about Rusty and why he works as a main character. Rusty is the center, because he's had this horrible life inflicted on him by his father, and he's in the process of raising his sons but he still has a chance to choose to be better.

Enji could also work as the center of his story, he has a chance to choose his family over his work as a hero, but he's ultimately not the one who does that, it's Shoto. Which yes Shoto is the main character of the Todoroki plotline, but by the end Enji's gotten as much screen time as his son. If the plot was going to focus on Shoto and his choices to begin with then he should have been the central point. You spent a lot of in story time asking this question with Enji on whether or not he's going to be able to choose to be a father over a hero, and who Enji is outside of being a hero only to not give the audience any answeres.

This again has nothing to do with Enji the person and whether I think he's likable or not, because Enji's a fictional character. He's an idea. If writing is communication, then a writer is trying to communciate some idea with every character in their novel. We're asking what is the author trying to say with Enji, and do they do a good job of getting that message across?

4. What's the Big Idea?

So the above section was mainly about the personal arcs of each characters: How do both of them fail at fatherhood and do they learn to be better fathers over the course of their narratives?

However, these characters are part of a much bigger world. How a character interacts with both the world around them, and the extended cast of characters is another way a story relates it's theme.

Venture Bros and My Hero Academia both exist in comic book worlds. There are people running around in costumes calling themselves heroes and villains and fighting each other on the streets.

In My Hero Academia heroes are basically professional athletes who sell sports drinks and pose for ads and compete for rankings on a big board, and heroics for the most part has been reduced to a day job for people with particularly powerful quirks. Heroism is an entire industry that's for profit, and run by the shadowy hero council who has far more power over their society than they let onto. You could compare Endeavor being the top hero to him is like a combination of being the best pro athlete, and also the best salaryman ever.

Ironically, the worldbuilding of Venture Bros is pretty similar. In Venture Bros. the villains are all unionized. There is a super villain trade union. It's a secret organization known as the guild of calamitous intent, which makes villainy into a bureaucracy.

All villains in the world have to register with the guild. If you're a part of the guild you receive the protection that the guild offers, as long as you follow the guilds rules and regulations. There's lots of small rules, like you can't torture someone who's having a medical issue, and if you're fighting a good guy and they have a doctor's appointment you have to let them go.

They even rank heroes and villains by their threat levels called "EMA LEVELS (equally matched aggression) and then assign you a hero who's about your equal so you won't get killed by someone way stronger than you. The guild basically decides who you're allowed to fight as a villain and picks a hero for you. The act of being someone's arch villain is called "arching" you show up to harass them once a week like a Saturday morning cartoon villain, fight them, then do it again next week. You're not allowed to kill your hero and you're supposed to follow specific rules. The tradeoff is the heroes won't kill you either, because you have guild protection.

The Monarch: I don't know, just keep it cat and mouse not cat and missile. JJ:: So it's a game? We fake fight? That's ridiculous. The Monarch: No, it's like fencing, it's about the art of the fight. JJ: Well, I'm about to deliver my killing stroke. Then what? Dr. Girlfriend: Then the guild steps up their game. You throw a rock, they throw a knife. You throw a knife, they come to your house when you're sleeping and murder your family. The Monarch: Look Dr. Venture you call the guild and you get the damn rulebook, I'll be waiting.

The justification for why the guild exists is that in world if you didn't give the villains a system with a bunch of rules, then you'd have a bunch of crazy people in costumes running around causing havoc.

Brock: You wanna what? Shoot him? And all his men and his wife? You could steal his cattle, too. Maybe burn his village down? JJ: It's an antiquated system. I mean my father did this fake arch enemy nonsense in the sxities. Maybe my brother is good with this namby pamby guy in a costume chases you around nonsense, but I'm not. Brock: Hey no disrespect Jonas, but it isn't so easy. These guys like their system. It's what they do. You take that away and you're looking at a bunch of pissed off nut bags with ray guns, and giant -- i don't know, a giant octopus / tank with laser eyes.

The villains and the OSI (who are like the GI JOE) of this world have signed a very long and detailed treaty that keeps both sides in a cold world stalemate and lets them fight every week like how the good guys and bad guys fight constantly while maintaining a status quo where neither side wins.

In MHA heroics is a commodity. It's commercialized and sold to the public. Heroes are like professional athletes selling you sports drinks, it's a spectacle to the public, and it's even intentionally made to be that way by the Hero Commission who use heroes as a bright shining light to distract the public while they do shady things like assassinate antigovernmental protestors from behind the scenes. The entire of hero society in MHA is built on the spectacle of heroes.

In Venture Bros heroes and villains are a spectacle too. It's just a job to them. Heroes and villains both show up to work, get in their costumes, fight each other and then go home. In Season 6 of Venture Bros, a parody of the Avengers is actively charging people to provide their services as heroes in the city of New York and you have to sign up for a protection plan if you want to get saved. Then the local mob boss takes a cut of the protection money they're charging.

In both settings the ideas of heroes exist, comic books exist, but the heroes themselves are incredibly mundane, they're just people showing up to jobs and making money for the most part. The only difference really is that in MHA the villains are societal rejects and trauma victims, whereas in Venture Bros they've unionized. In Venture Bros the villains and heroes basically fake fight under strict rules. Even in MHA though the villains need to exist in order to give the heroes someone to fight in front of the public. "Villain" is an actual legal term for a certain kind of quirk criminals with more than three strikes who gets sent to a super max prison if they're caught.

Both of these works are making comic book heroes and villains seem a lot more mundane by deconstructing them with this layer of realism. By making the roles of "hero" and "villain" seem much more mundane, and therefore more human, it also asks us to look at the characters who call themselves heroes and villains as human beings.

The Venture Bros like many richer takes on superhero stories really likes to play with the concept of identity. It's the idea that Good and Evil, Heroes and Villains, are just roles we play. They're not something fundamental or innate they're constructed by the world around us. In the show the main villainous organization the GCI is really just a bureaucracy of larpers sustaining their violent rolelplaying through organized crime. Rich and powerful lunatics who built the world around a game they wanted to play. There's really nothing of substance keeping Rusty on the "Good Guy" side. The good guys are also a mix and match. Shield, GI JOE, FBI. Another exmaple of people who never grew up. Only these people are running things, playing out their childhood power fantasies. They're barely less insane and blood thirsty than the bad guys. So what's even the point of being a good guy in the first place? That's the world Rusty is caught between...[x]

MHA and Venture Bros are both works that feature societies that divide people into two distinct categories "hero" and "villain" and then go on to show that these two categories are not as black and white as they would like us to believe.

Venture Bros features Brock Samson, a character who is ostensibly on the side of the good guys who also highest body count of nameless henchman who we see him gleefully kill onscreen over and over again. There are members of the OSI who are just as trigger happy as the guild so what's the difference between them besides what they've decided to personally identify as? On one side you have the Larpers who are roleplaying villainy, and on the other you have the military soliders who think they're real life GI JOES.

In My Hero Academia you have heroes who are essentially state sponsored peace keepers who suppress anyone who disrupts the status quo with violence, and villains who are rejected from that status quo who eventually turn into violent terrorists. While yes heroes have the responsibility of protecting innocent civilians, most of what heroes do is fight villains, in fact heroes with quirks suited to rescuing people aren't nearly as famous as ones with flashy violent quirks like Endeavor.

You have two sides and one calls themselves villains and the others heroes, but they both use extreme violence as a way to accomplish their goals.

Rusty and Enji are two characters who are caught between these two categories which aren't as distinct and separate as we'd like to believe they are.

Enji is basically the first deconstruction of heroes in MHA. He's a hero who's not interested in saving people, but instead wants to be the strongest and does everything in pursuit of selfish glory.

He's simultaneously the hero with the single most resolved cases in history, but at the same time he's always number two to All Might because he's not "super" enough of a super hero. In a manga where Deku's natural desire to save others make him a candidate to b ahero even without a quirk, we have a character who's a hero for purely selfish reasons. One that only cares about having the strongest quirk because being the best is all that matters to Enji.

In many ways the way Enji treats his family is more like a villain than a hero. Main villain AFO himself comments at one point he wasn't able to manipulate Toya, because his father did too good of a job manipulating him already. In fact you can draw a parallel between his actions of manipulating and grooming Shoto to be his heir, to how AFO raised orphaned child Shigaraki Tomura as his successor.

This is a good use of Enji's character, because making it hard to label him as hero and villain makes us think about who he is as a person instead.

There's an entire episode of Venture Bros dedicated to a villain Mentor named Dr. Henry Killinger, showing up and basically mentoring Rusty Venture when he's at a low point. He gives Rusty money, workers, gets his business up and running again and at the very end reveals that he's setting Rusty up to be a villain to arch his brother as a hero. Rusty is tempted with the idea that he'd make a much more successful villain than he ever would be a hero (because as a hero he's kind of just a loser) but he still chooses to be a hero at the end of the story because he doesn't want to fight his brother.

At which point his mentor, all his hired men, all just walk off and he loses all the money he would have gained and he goes back to being a mediocre super-scientist.

"Doc has the whole thing laid out for him clear as day. This role is here for you. Waiting for you to claim it. You have your nemesis. You have your means. You have the ability and the pain. You can do this and you'd be good at it. And Rusty can look at all of that, everything he's been through and say, "Yeah... but I don't wanna be evil." [x]

Rusty walks away from the chance to be a villain, but he's not exactly a hero either. He runs illegal cloning farms, he does lots of unethical scientific stuff and he's not even remotely the hero his father was considered to be.

Because he doesn't fit well into the category of hero or villain, the show instead asks you to evaluate who Rusty is as a person. He's one of the few characters in the show that's capable of stepping out of those categories.

"That's the great thing about him. Sometimes being disillusioned just means you can see through the whole thing. Sure the whole super science villain game feels stupid. It's not going anywhere. No one's accomplishing anything. It's all violence and roleplay. But at the end of the day it's still real. And it still means something to us. Choosing to be a villain means choosing to be a bad guy. It means relinquishing the premise that you could ever do better, ever actually help anyone. And that's not who Rusty is. He's a scum-bag, but he's a grown up. Even in a show with brilliant characters, old pros, and actual supermen, Rusty is the adult. And adults don't put on rubber masks and terrorize people for fun because that would be fucking silly." - [x]

Rusty spent his entire childhood being terrorized by guys in costumes, so he's now the cynical straight man pointing out how ridiculous this all is. He's the one normal person among the crazies.

Rusty is just too incompetent to ever be like his father. Jonas Venture is scum bag, but he's also a well-respected scientist and a world wide hero. Everyone in the scientific community thinks that Rusty is a joke, and his friends just barely put up with him

Jonas gets away with it because he perfectly fit what society's idea of a hyper masculine strong hero was, and no one questioned it or how he treated his son, whereas because balding, impotent, pathetic Rusty falls so short of toxic masculinity's standards he doesn't get the same respect or leeway that Jonas did. Jonas Venture continually got away with murder, and Rusty can't get away with anything.

He's a pill-popping, middle aged man who ran his father's business empire into the ground who continually gets laughed out of any scientific conference he tries to attend.

He can't be a hero. He can't be his father. He fall short of toxic masculinity's standards. He falls short of everyone's standards. The only way in which he's better than Jonas is that he's a much better father to both of his sons. His greatest triumphs as a character come from bonding with Hank and Dean. Jonas for all his accomplishments wasn't capable of bonding with Rusty because he didn't really care about anyone but himself. Jonas Venture is someone who perfectly fit society's standards of toxic masculinity, but he wasn't a person outside of that.

"Jonas Sr realized this too, but to him, it was a joke. To him it meant being above everyone. Rusty can't be above everyone so he has to meet them at eye level. Part of the bitterness of growing up is realizing that we're all just chidlren who got old. No one knows what they're doing and when you come to terms with that you can look down on people or give them the respect everyone deserves. How you treat children says a lot about how you treat people which in turn says a lot about you." [x]

Now returning to Endeavor we run into the same problem that we did earlier. This whole post is comparing Rusty and Endeavor because they are the protagonists, but Endeavor is far more like Jonas. He's someone who sees through the hero system and only cares about climbing to the top out of his own self interest. He knows it's a game, but he wants to win at the game.

Enji even sort of looks like Jonas.

They're both extremely bulky men at peak levels of physical fitness. Meanwhile Rusty is a balding, short and out of shape middle aged man.

In story Jonas is still widley beloved by the public and is constantly praised, while no one but Rusty is aware of his faults, but there's a reason for that. Jonas is someone who is basically allowed to do anything he wants, because the patriarchy means all of society is built around letting men like Jonas succeed.

Jonas is also someone who literally uses his position as a hero to manipulate people into getting what he wants and glorify himself.

Jonas can casually destroy people's lives, all while still believing he's the good guy because in his world being good guy is just a role to play and he plays it well. One of the best three episodes of the series is the Morphic Trilogy, the opening to season 7 where some of Jonas's past crimes are revealed.

In the past he tricked a married man into making a sex tape with him, and then when that man Don Carraldo aka the Blue Morpho turned out to regret that, he used the tape to constantly blackmail him into doing his dirty work. Killing people in secret while Jonas Venture remained Squeaky clean. After years of being forced to act as a mercenary for Jonas, the Blue Morpho died in a plane crash. Jonas then revived his best friend as a cyborg. He got bored of his new cyborg within a few months and reassigned him to babysit his son Rusty. The cyborg glitched and started to strangle Rusty and then he snaps his friends neck, and throws the cyborg away in the garbage.

Jonas can just completely destroy a man's life because he can. Because everyone around him enables him and no one is going to stop him. Because this is how people in power act when they're given too much power. Because might does not make right.

He's the gold standard. He's the ideal. Who would question him?

Enji occupies a similar position in the story, where he fits the role of a hero so well that even when his family abuse is revealed to the public basically every character and their mom is tripping over themselves to defend him.

Jonas is constantly praised in story years after his death and every bad thing he's done is swept under the rug, but that's because number one Jonas was a manipulative monster, and number two it shows toxic masculinity is a false ideal. This is how Jonas who everyone thinks is the ideal man's man, really acts. This is what he gets away with it, because the thing society glorifies are toxic and bad.

When people bend over backwards to defend Endeavor what does it say exactly? Because we're supposed to believe that Enji's willing to work for redemption even if people don't forgive him. We're not supposed to think Enji is a manipulative monster intentionally twisting people around his finger like Jonas was.

There are some ways Enji is like Jonas, especially in his backstory. He did use his money and influence to buy a woman. Rei was definitely not going to get the option of divorcing him if she actually wanted to leave.

However, in the present time we don't see Enji doing the kind of manipulation that Jonas does, because really he doesn't have to. Hawks does it for him. There is a character in the narrative named Takami Keigo / Hawks who is a little boy that Enji indirectly saved as a child by putting his father in prison. Because of this he is obsessed with making Endeavor live up to the hero he imagined him to be when he was young, and does everything he can to prop Enji up behind the scenes and make him look like that hero to the public.

Hawks is a whole other can of worms, but in effect what this means is there is someone manipulating public opinion in favor of Endeavor so he'll be able to shine in spite of the numerous skeletons in his closet, it's just not Endeavor himself. Hawks also takes away a lot of the active decisions on Endeavor's part. When Endeavor chooses to ignore Toya in the latter part of the story, it's not Endeavor's choice, he's just following Hawks plan to fight AFO. When Endeavor makes a public apology, Hawks is the one who wrote it for him.

The result is that Endeavor comes off as less of a Jonas, after all Hawks is the one manipulating his public image. On the other hand, he's also less good of a character because he's not making choices anymore. It'd be better If Enji was trying to manipulate the public into forgiving him in the wake of his scandal, because that'd be an active choice on his part. When a character makes a choice it tells us something about who that character is.

Horikoshi doesn't want us to think that Enji is the kind of selfish monster that Jonas is, but then who is he supposed to be?

The entire point of this post is to compare Enji to Rusty, but Enji's far too successful to be Rusty. Rusty is a failure in basically everything he set out to do in life. He's the butt of the series jokes. He's the victim in as many ways as he's the perpetrator. He had a lot of money and then wasted it all. None of his inventions are succesful. The scientific community thinks he's a joke, or they don't even know who he is. Women won't even go near him. No one ever defends him. At no point in the story does someone stop and say "Hey, Hank I know your dad's an asshole but he's really good at science so that makes it okay."

Rusty's such a failure at being a hero that he's forced to be a person. He's as equally narcissticic and toxic as his father, he treats women like objects for sex and comfort like his father does, he just doesn't get away with it. You can't point to some heroic feat of his that justifies his toxic behavior because he doesn't have any.

The story however can't stop singing Enji's praises for what a good hero he is. He's never forced to step out of the role of hero and be a person like Rusty is, and because of that the message of his character becomes confused.

Are we supposed to think he's a manipulative narcissist like Jonas is? Are we supposed to think he's an incredibly flawed individual trying to figure out how to be a father late into his kid's lives like Rusty?

Rusty has a clear role in his story, and what the author wants to say with Enji is unclear.

Everyone praises Jonas to death and no one can see him for the terrible purpose he is, because that's the point. Venture Bros is about failure. It's about the death of the space ag optimisme. It's about how much the boomer generation sucked.

From the Radiant is the Baboon Heart Commentary. Question: Did Jonas only keep Rusty around for the press and his cloning tech or did he actually care about him? Answer: . The show has a villain called the monarch, but if you watch all the show the villain is Jonas Venture Sr. He is a bad dad. What you need to realize is that in this kind of baby boomers gen x millenials kind of thing we are of the generation that had bad parents. For the good and the bad of it. The good was we were all left alone by our parents, and we had a freedom in our thought that I don't think the millennials have. Because we made the millennials, and we were like You know what Our parents suck and we're gonna be great parents." And they helicoptered them and they gave playdates. [...] I did hate the boomers, they were awful fathers they were terrible people they did horrible things to our world, and at the time they were celebrated as good people. They were a bunch of hippies and they failed and they did everything wrong that they wanted to fix [...]. You and I are lost people we observed our generation. We are fully aware of it. We observed our parents generation. My actual father was a classic distant father, very bright had a lot of work to do, but I observed that generation and the way that toxic masculinity was set in stone. Just branded onto their tombstone. Toxic masculinity. Our generation grew up wanting to be adults, childhood was something that was not examined. When people were growing up we wanted to be grown ups, we wanted to wear suits, it was something you guys don't have. It was a very different way to grow up. So we wanted to be like this generation that immediately we looked at and went oh my god they're monsters. So Jonas Venture Sr. is a monster.

Jonas is a commentary on how much the boomer generation is glorified, and how much they suck if you look at them critically at all. It's written by authors who were observing basically three different generations of parenting, the way boomers parented, the ways Gen-Xers did in response to that and now the way millennials act as they reach adulthood. Rusty can't escape Jonas' shadow because Toxic Masculinity is set in stone.

The role of Jonas in the story is to serve as an antagonist to Rusty and be the cause of Rusty's struggles, and also his impetus to change because Rusty doesn't want to be like his father. Rusty and Jonas both exist as characters to show the author's observations on parenting through the generations, and yeah it's a very american idea of parenting and family but it's you know... a cartoon made in america.

What is Endeavor's role of the story? If he's a criticism of toxic masculinity he's not criticized enough, because the story spends just as much time glorifying him his obsession with strength and power as it does criticizing him. There's no scenes like this for Rusty to show off how cool he is, or how determined. The story wants you to believe that there's something redeeming in the fact that Enji is always struggling to be the greatest, even though his obsession with being number one is what caused him to abuse his family in the first place

It's criticizing and praising Enji's obsession with power in the same breath, because My Hero Academia can't fully deconstruct toxic masculinity the way that Venture Bros can. It keeps trying to find something redeemable in Endeavor's toxic pursuit of power, but that's the whole point. Toxic masculinity isn't redeemable, because toxic masculinity is toxic. There's nothing wrong with masculinity itself, or the values people traditionally consider masculine but the kind of hyper-aggressive pursuit of physical strength Endeavor chases after is toxic masculinity. In Endeavor's mind men are warriors, protectors and providers and nothing else, and he never learns to be anything else either.

MHA would never treat Endeavor the way Vbros treats Rusty, constantly humiliating him or making him the butt of jokes. It would never make Enji out to be weak or pathetic the way Rusty is.

The central concept of Endeavor is struggle. His chosen hero nae "Endeavor" means to try hard to achieve something. His entire character is based around the concept of struggle. His central struggle is that he's a normal guy trying to compete with a superhero like all might, and everything he does he struggles with even if that struggle is pointless.

However, in the actual narrative itself he doesn't struggle. He definitely doesn't struggle the way Rusty does. Rusty's a lazy, incompetent, and entitled man sitting on a pile of money he didn't earn who thinks he's entitled to more who fails at all he sets out to achieve. Rusty never gets what he wants, and even when he does get what he wants like when his brother leaves him a billion dollar corporation in his will, he bankrupts that company in two seasons. Struggle means that the world isn't going to give you what you want and you keep trying anyway.

Endeavor's never subjected to nearly the same amount of narrative punishment that Rusty is. He's still well-respected. People defend him. He fights in all the major battles of the series and gets victories. No one's disgusted when they hear that he's a wife beater. We are told that he struggles, that the central concept of his character is struggle, but the narrative keeps handing him wins and cool moments.

As I've said above several times, Enji's never really forced to step out of the role as hero because he's not a failure the way Rusty is.

My Hero Academia hits some of the same notes as Venture Bros. It's criticizing apanese hegemonic masculinity, specifically that of salaryman masculinity and the way men in japan completely put their careers over their families. Read about it here in this convenient power point presentation. Enji is essentially an incredibly successful salaryman who has completely disappeared from his kid's lives in order to earn money and success and believes that he's still entitled to be a father because he's performed adequately in his role as earner of the household.

The story does show how giving too much power to the patriarch of a household can cause a house to fall apart. It shows that traditional family roles aren't all they're cracked up to be. Enji is assigned the role of father but he doesn't live up to it. The very rigid and traditional Todoroki Household crumbles because basically everyone fails to live up to their roles. The father isn't present. The mother isn't a good caretaker. The first born is defective. The youngest is given all the responsibility of the first born. No one is able to live up to those roles because maybe those rigid set in stone roles shouldn't exist in the first place.

Once again though, that's all in the backstory. Enji never changes from the Pro Hero Arc to his last showdown with Toya. The story never tells us anything about who Enji is as a person. Therefore, it also never comments on Enji's role as the patriarch. What is Horikoshi using Enji to say about patriarchy besides... it exists?

The story shows you how destructive the idea of patriarchy that Enji represents can be in the backstory, but because Enji doesn't do much for 90 percent of the story it never says anything about how Enji can learn to be a father or if it's even possible for him to be a father this late in the game. Because Enji's story isn't about fatherhood ultimately, it's about him becoming a less selfish hero.

Which might just be a problem with the whole of MHA. Venture Bros is about who the characters are outside of their identity as heroes and villains, but MHA is ultimately more about the optimism of heroes and what it means to be a hero than these characters personal lives.

Rusty is never going to be as sucessful as his father. He's always going to be mediocre, ad even if he's sympathetic he's still a scum bag. However, Rusty has one thing his father doesn't have which are his two sons who he made a deliberate decision to get closer to. Unlike a serial user of people Jonas, Rusty has the ability to actually love and care for people and he chooses to make those connections.

Endeavor never chooses to be a father. He didn't choose to go to Toya's side. He was too busy being a hero and fighting the big bad. As a result of that we never learn anything about Enji as a character outside of being a hero because he never chose to be anything other than a hero.

He also never failed. As I said the narrative kept handing him wins. You'd think never choosing to see Toya would mean he can't save Toya in the end, but in the end of the story Toya's just fine. There are no consequences to his choices. He's revealed to be an abuser to the public but he gets to keep being a hero. Enji never really fails in some big way that forces him to rfelect and change on his actions, so he just keeps doing the same thing from beginning to end.

Which is why Enji doesn't work as a character compared to Rusty. He doesn't fail. He's supposed to be a flawed protagonist struggling against himself, but he never really loses. He's too much like Jonas and not enough like Rusty.

"I think Jonas was something of a boy adventurer himself, and made his kid be it. But also put his kid on TV to cash in the residuals. He was just a shitty parent. When he went to bed he was just, he was moral, and he was fighting the good fight. When he woke up he ignored his son and made his son do terrible things. He voted for nixon like a good american. He was a winner and our show is not about winners. Our show is about losers and people we love." Jackson Publick. n

[rollinouttahere-writes]

Wait; I don’t remember much about some arcs, but the foxy the pirate arc was fun; if you’re willing to do anything with this it would be much appreciated!❤️

It’s about on child lucky/reader during the foxy the pirates where they take the reader during one of the games, trying to win her back. Since she’s a child and has no idea what’s going on, she starts crying and stuff, but once they win her back that she’s so clingy and won’t let go of them to the point where she just holds onto on their legs when they win her back and if they lose again; she starts fighting tooth and nails to not let go.

Or something else. I just want to read more child lucky stuff if you have any! Thank you for reading, have a good day author!

I keep telling myself that I’m not going to spoil Lucky Break… but y’all keep giving me these plot bunnies and I keep caving instantly

When I wrote Get Back Here! I’d only imagined the deaging to be temporary, but now this ask has me thinking about it being permanent and now Lucky has been factory reset into a four year old. It’s a very interesting dynamic to think about. I’m gonna have to write about this some more… I’m hereby calling this the Little Lucky AU

I’ve written something like this about the Foxy Pirates before actually! It was just a short drabble, here, but it’s got a similar vibe. The davy back fights do not mesh well with yanderes, and considering that normal, regular-ass Zoro suggested just killing them and leaving in the anime, I think I underplayed how dangerous yandere Zoro would be tbh

Ok so into the spoilers for Lucky Break. They would not get Lucky at all. Period. Why? Because they couldn’t have come in at a worse point in the story. Don’t get me wrong, the Straw Hats wouldn’t take it well at any point, but by this point in Lucky Break they are unhinged. Skypeia is a really bad time for Lucky, and it really messes with adult Lucky so child Lucky is going to be severely traumatized by it. Enel winds up being the tipping point for the Straw Hats going from low-key yandere to full on yandere. Everything post Skypeia takes on a darker tone to match it and the yandere elements of the story go from subtle to very intense.

By the time they get to Long Ring Long Land, Lucky is looking like she got thrown down a flight of stairs, electrocuted, and strangled. This is concerning to see on an adult, and is horrifying to see on a literal preschooler. The Foxy pirates aren’t even really being malicious when they try to take her, they’re genuinely concerned (and also suffering under the effects of Lucky’s amulet which becomes much more potent post Skypeia). They have a team meeting beforehand and are all like “so we’re gonna take the baby and leave the rest of them behind, right?” and no one disagrees.

But needless to say, all of the Straw Hats are on edge and fucking feral so this concern is not taken well. This was supposed to be a drabble, but as per usual I have no self control and wrote a whole ass chapter basically.

3.9k words

Resisting the urge to pick at your scabs was hard on a good day, but when you were feeling sick to your stomach with nerves, it felt impossible not to do. Not wanting to make Chopper upset, you move your hands to grasp at the brim of Luffy’s hat. Partially to keep your hand busy, and partially to keep it from falling over your eyes again.

You guess it made sense that they wouldn’t let you participate, but that didn’t make having to be separated from your friends any less nerve wracking. Luffy had tried to bring you onto his boat regardless, only relenting when Nami bitterly admitted that they had a point and you would be safer on land. 

Terrified at the idea of being alone, you immediately began to tear up and protest, but Luffy made a compromise with you. Since the race was going to be so dangerous, he needed someone to look after his hat and keep it safe. So, if you could be brave about being by yourself for a little while, he would entrust this task to you. Part of you still wasn’t happy about this, but you didn’t want to let Luffy down, so you put on a brave face and accepted. 

Now you were left to sit on the cliffside overlooking the start of the race, waiting for it to begin so it could be over already. At least not everyone else will be in the games after this. From your perch, you could see your friends frantically scanning through the crowd. Oh, they were probably looking for you.

Standing up, you maintained your hold on Luffy’s treasure with one hand and waved to them with the other. Sanji was the first to spot you and pointed you out to everyone else. They all swiveled their heads in your direction, and the relief on their faces was palpable. Everyone waved back at you, and Luffy stood up, rather shakily on his raft, to call out to you, “Don’t worry, Lucky! We’ll win this no problem!”

There were some chuckles coming from the audience, and the weird looking announcer guy felt the need to comment on this, “Oh! What’s this? The Straw Hat’s captain thinks they’ll win this no problem? A bold claim to make from someone who has never seen the might of! The! Foxy! Piiiiraaates!”

You winced at the sheer volume and noise of feedback, not able to resist the urge to cover your ears. Luffy’s hat fell over your eyes, blocking out the view but doing nothing to block out the noise. You already didn’t feel good, and that was not helped by the roar of applause and cheers coming from the crowd. 

The breath lodged in your throat. The onslaught of noise felt like it was coming at you from all angles, melding together and ultimately amping up into an obnoxious ringing in your ears. Your knees buckled, making you fall onto your behind as you struggled to force yourself to remember how to breathe.

It’s too much! It’s way too much! It’s-

“Hey!” Two familiar hands fell onto your shoulders, snapping you out of the downwards spiral you were falling victim to. One of the hands moves to lift the brim of the hat just enough for you to make eye contact with your best friend. He smiled, and just seeing it was enough to soothe you a little, “It’s going to be okay! Don’t listen to them, we’ve got this!”

“Y-Yeah, of course you do,” you choked out.

Luffy brought you in for a quick but tight hug, smushing your face into his red shirt, “That’s it! We’ll be back before you know it!”

“Luffy! If you’re not in your boat by the start of the race you will be disqualified!” The announcer shouted, causing you to flinch again.

His grip on you tightened, and while you couldn’t see it, you just knew that he was scowling. His neck snapped towards the announcer furiously, “I will be! Stop being so loud about it!” Gently, Luffy pulled you away from him, offering another smile. His voice was quieter than usual, “Don’t worry about it, we’ll beat them and be out of here before you know it.” 

With a quick pat to your head, he rocketed himself back to his raft, nearly flipping it over in the process. While the exchange had eased your fears a little, there was still an overhanging discomfort about the situation. What would happen if they didn’t win? Who would those other pirates take? You shook your head. No. You’re not gonna think about it! Luffy will win, you just know it.

The distinct sound of grass crunching beneath feet made your shoulders tense up. Hesitantly, you turned to identify who was coming up behind you. It was two people. One of them was the captain, you think Luffy said his name was Split-Head? Yeah that sounds right. The other one was some big monkey-looking guy. You’re pretty sure his name was Hamburger, a funny name but who are you to judge?

Split-Head grinned at you, but it was not providing the warmth and comfort that Luffy’s gave you. It reminded you of a sleazy salesman that your mother yelled at in the mall one time for being too pushy. Maybe he’ll go away if you ignore him? You hope so.

“Why hello there, young lady! Your captain didn’t include your name on the roster, can you tell me it?” Split-Head was now crouched down next to you, much too close for comfort.

You kept your head down and shrugged, “I’m not supposed to talk to strangers.”

This didn’t deter him in the slightest, “Aww, come on! You won’t make friends that way, kid. You can trust me! I’m captain Foxy of the Foxy pirates!” From your peripherals you could see him puffing out his chest in pride. His name is Foxy? Split-Head is more fitting in your humble opinion. He must think really high of himself. “There, now I’m not a stranger!”

It seems like this guy isn’t going away any time soon. You dug your heels into the dirt anxiously, wishing he would leave you alone. “Yeah, well… you’re still strange,” you mumbled.

Split-Head-Foxy let out an offended gasp, then fell to his knees with a gloomy aura looming over him. Wow. He’s pushy, full of himself, weird, AND dramatic. You rolled your eyes and took a decisive step away from him, looking out at the ocean as the race finally started. 

It was then that it dawned on you that this race went around the whole island, meaning that you’re going to have to run to try and keep up. Emphasis on the try. Without a word to the two pirates bothering you, you ran after your friends’ boats. Both of your hands were tightly grasping the hat on your head to prevent it from flying off. Sure, there was a string attached to it around your neck, but you didn’t want to risk it.

Immediately, it became obvious that you were not going to be able to keep up. Even if you were at your best, you wouldn’t be fast enough. But with how injured you were, everything was sore and the pain of your muscles pulling on your scabs made your run more like a trot. The Straw Hats’ boats were getting farther and farther away, and you could feel frustrated tears prickling at your eyes.

There was the sound of… galloping? Yeah, galloping behind you. Pretty soon, Foxy pulled up next to you riding Hamburger like a horse. Man, this guy just keeps getting weirder.

“Looks like you need a ride there, kid. Why don’t you hop on so we can watch this race together, hm?” Foxy held out his hand to you, smiling smugly. Memories of your preschool teacher telling the class to never get in a stranger’s car came to mind. A monkey man isn’t exactly a car, but you think the same idea applies here.

You shook your head vigorously, “No, I don’t wanna go with you.”

Foxy’s smile fell, and his hand drooped. He plastered it back on his face after a moment, “Kid, you’re not going to be able to keep up, just come with me. I’ve got some candy! I’ll give you some if you hop on!”

A stranger offering you candy to get in their vehicle was another thing your teacher warned you about. Yeah, this was definitely a bad guy you shouldn’t talk to. You doubled your effort to run a little faster to put some distance between you and them, “No! Leave me alone!”

They sped up, closing the gap in seconds. Instead of saying anything, Hamburger simply reached out and plucked you right off your feet then dropped you onto Foxy. Naturally, you started thrashing and screaming, “Let go of me! Put me down! Stranger danger!”

Hamburger laughed at your terror, “What a feisty child.”

“Quit laughing Hamburg, she’s kicking up a storm,” he was frantically trying to get a good hold on you. “Calm down! We’re not going to hurt you, we’re help- OW!” You managed to land a good kick to his face. Despite that, he was able to hold onto you. He spun you so that you were facing away from him.

His hand grabbed your face and turned it to gaze out at the ocean, “Look! We’re caught up now!”

True to his word, you could see the contestants. Your face scrunched up in confusion, not seeing Luffy and Sanji’s boat anywhere. Or Zoro and Chopper’s. Were they that far ahead? Yeah, that was definitely it, had to be. You could still see Usopp, Nami, and Robin at least. Seeing them made you feel a little calmer.

“See? We were just trying to help you out,” his smug grin was back. “Now how about you tell me your name?”

As much as you didn’t want to, he probably wouldn’t shut up about it until you did, “It’s Lucky.”

“Lucky? Is that supposed to be a nickname or something?” “It’s my name! You asked and I told you, stop bugging me about it,” you grumbled. You want to get down, but you get the feeling they wouldn’t let you do that. At least you get to follow the race now.

Foxy fished around in his pocket and pulled out some brightly colored objects, “Here, I bet you want some candy, don’t you?”

It’s bad enough that you’re riding with him, you’re not gonna take any candy from this weirdo, “No thank you, I don’t want any.”

He sighed and stuffed it back in his pocket. You hoped this would be the end of his chattering. Unfortunately, it didn’t appear that luck was on your side today. Or this week, really. Foxy held out your arm, scrutinizing all the scabbed over burns on it, “How did this happen, Lucky?”

“It’s none of your business, I don’t wanna talk about it mister,” you huffed. You didn’t want to even think about that ever again. About him. About how cold and uncaring his eyes were. About how much it hurt. Your shoulders started to shake and your lip trembled.

“Whoa, hey it’s okay! You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to!” Foxy brought you in for a hug, but you really didn’t want it. You squirmed and tried to get away from him, but he wasn’t letting you.

“What’s this?! The last remaining Straw Hat boat has broken into first place with incredible speed!” The announcer shouted.

Wait. Last remaining?! How was there only one boat left?! You looked out to see Usopp, Nami, and Robin barreling towards the finish line. They were going to win! They needed to if they were the only ones left.

Foxy cursed under his breath, “Hamburg, you need to hurry to the end goal!”

Hamburger only nodded and sped up. You were kinda impressed by how fast he was able to go. Despite being pestered by these two so much, you were smiling and kicking your feet in excitement. They were going to win this race! And then they would win the other two races, too!”

A little ways before the finish line, Hamburg came to a halt, and Foxy hopped off. You took the opportunity to scramble off him, too. You rushed to the cliff and called out, “You can do it! You’re gonna win!” If they heard you, they didn’t react.

“I wouldn’t count your chickens before they hatch, Lucky,” Foxy stated ominously. He held out his hands and made some weird shapes with them, like he was trying to make shadow puppets. All you could do was eye him curiously, trying to figure out what that was supposed to mean. You don’t have any chickens, why is he talking about counting them? Weird. 

His fingers were pointed right at your friends and then he said something about a slow-slow beam. Your friends, who were previously rocketing towards the finish, abruptly slowed down to a crawl, seemingly unable to move. Your jaw dropped as the other boat with the pointy nosed girl on it took the lead and then, much to your horror, won the race.

You whipped around to Foxy, who was looking quite proud of himself, “What did you do?!”

“I put my devil fruit to good use, that’s what! I can slow down anything with my slow-slow beam.”

“That’s cheating! You’re a cheater!” You stomped your foot angrily, pointing an accusing finger at him.

“No it’s not. I said there were no rules in this race, didn’t I? That means I’m allowed to help my team from the sidelines if I want.” He tried to pat your head, but you slapped his hand away.

“But that’s not fair!”

“Life isn’t fair, kid, you should get used to it and be a good sport about your team losing,” Foxy had the audacity to try and scold you for your behavior. Who does he think he is?!

“I hate you! Stupid Split-Head!” You kicked his shin before running off to try and find your friends, you need to tell them about this. 

Due to how large Foxy’s crew was, it was difficult to find one of your friends. Especially when everyone was trying to get you to stop and talk to them for some reason. Finally, though, you spotted the red shirt that you would recognize in a heartbeat. 

“Luffy!” 

That catches his attention, alright. He whirls around and then runs to meet you. Knowing the drill, you lift your arms so he can pick you up. He does just that, holding you out in front of him, “There you are!” His clothes were wet and water was dripping out of his hair, he must have fallen into the ocean at some point.

Your first order of business was to return his prized possession to him. You pulled the hat off your head and placed it onto his, albeit a bit crooked, “I kept your hat safe for you!”

“I knew you could, good job Lucky!” Luffy pulled you in to balance you on his hip and used his free hand to ruffle your hair.

Now onto the big thing, “Luffy, that Split-Head guy is a cheater! He’s got a devil fruit that makes stuff super slow and he used it on Usopp, Nami, and Robin! He uses his fingers to do it!”

“Is that what happened?!” The grin he was previously sporting dropped and he looked surprised.

You nodded, “Mmhm! I saw it myself!”

Luffy mimicked your nod, humming in thought, “Well now that we know about it, we can look out for it in the next game. We’ll figure out how to beat it, don’t worry!”

You looked away, picking at his shirt nervously, “Are you sure? You said the same thing about winning the race, but…” 

He tensed up from that, “Hey, come on! Have some faith in me, in all of us. We’ll win the rest of the matches for sure!” Luffy knelt down to put you on the ground, “Now how about you go stand with the others, okay?”

“Okay,” you didn’t really want to leave him, but you needed to listen to him. He probably had important captain stuff to do. It only took a second to spot some of the others. They weren’t far away and were watching your interaction with Luffy. You hurried over, squeezing yourself in between Robin and Sanji.

Sanji dropped onto his knees and brought you into a tight hug. He was also soaking wet. “Were you okay being on your own, princess? No one bothered you, did they?”

“I’m okay. Some people did bother me, but I gave them the slip after I kicked one of them in the shins,” you declared proudly.

Sanji’s face pinched in fury, “Who?”

“Um,” you took a second to remember their names again. “Oh, Foxy and Hamburger!”

“Hamburger? Do you mean Hamburg?” Robin asked, stifling a chuckle. Oh yeah, Foxy did call him that, didn’t he?

“Yeah, that. They kept trying to talk to me and made me come with them to watch the race. I didn’t want to, but Hamburger- I mean Hamburg, picked me up and made me come with. Oh, and Foxy tried to give me candy but I didn’t take any.”

Sanji was scowling and looked ready to go on a rampage. Forcing himself to take a deep breath, he let you go and stood up while digging his cigarettes and lighter out of his pockets. He was muttering about caving their heads in later.

The announcer and captain were standing on a stage and said that it was time to announce who they were taking for their victory. Your heart sank and you clung onto Robin’s leg nervously. Who were they going to steal? Would Luffy really be able to win them back? What if they won all three rounds and stole three of your friends? Robin pet your hair reassuringly.

“We have decided on who is becoming a Foxy pirate! It is none other than,” there was a pause for dramatic effect. Your stress was climbing with every second. The announcer took a deep breath and finally finished the sentence, “Lucky!”

Everyone fell silent, but for only a second. Then chaos erupted.

“Absolutely not!” Nami shrieked.

“You said she was too young to participate!” Sanji interjected.

“We said she was too young to participate in the fights, not that she was off the table for this part,” Foxy pointed out with a smirk.

“She’s four years old! What could you possibly want from her?!” Sanji was already mad before the announcement, but now he was furious.

“That doesn’t matter, you need to hand her over now, lest you want to break the rules,” Foxy reminded him.

Sanji was distracted from his argument as he heard a sob behind him. From you. Robin was quick to scoop you up, cradling you in her arms and trying to calm you down. “Now look what you did! She’s crying!” Sanji barked at them.

“I don’t wanna go, I don’t wanna!” You wailed, clinging onto Robin like your life depended on it. Which, as far as you were concerned, it did.

“Pick someone else, Lucky isn’t going to go with you,” Luffy spoke. His tone was cool, but the words were sharp.

“Don’t tell me what to do, straw hat. I’m making the rules here, not you. She’s a pirate, is she not? She needs to learn not to be such a crybaby. Besides, once she’s with us she’ll see how nice we are!” Foxy crowed proudly. 

“This is cruel, she’s just a child!” Robin chimed in, clutching you to her chest even tighter.

“Quit complaining so much, it’s not like we’re going to hurt her any worse than she’s already been hurt. We’re probably better suited for protecting her than you are,” the pointy-nosed woman was now approaching you and Robin, looking annoyed. “Now give her to me. Come here, Lucky! Do you want to go get some cotton candy with me?”

Her reaching for you only made you scream louder, “NO NO NO! I’m not going!” She tried to grab you anyways, but Robin was quick to put a stop to that. Arm sprouted from the woman’s body and immobilized her. 

Robin backed up by several paces, “Get away from her, you’re just going to make this worse!”

At this point, tears were pouring down your face and you felt like you couldn’t breathe despite how frantically your lungs were working. You coughed and hacked between hysteric breaths and sobs. Your heart was pounding out of your chest and your head hurt. They were going to take you away. You were going to be taken away from your friends again. Just like in Skypeia.

They were going to steal you.

They were going to hurt you.

“Don’t let me get taken away again!” You wailed at the top of your lungs.

Foxy scoffed, “This is getting ridiculous! Fine, if you won’t give her to us then I’ll tak-”

His sentence was ended abruptly by Luffy’s fist connecting with his face. A sickening crunch cut through the air. Before he even hit the ground, Luffy’s hand grabbed hold of his jacket and pulled him close. As soon as he was in range, Luffy was on him. 

He climbed on top of him and as Foxy was raising his hands to defend himself, Luffy grabbed them and snapped his fingers before he could put his devil fruit to use. Then Luffy began wailing on him, furious, raw screams erupting from his throat.

Everyone was frozen in place, shocked at the display, but then the crowd rushed at Luffy to save their captain. They couldn’t even get close, though. Zoro leapt into action, cutting them down like paper. You weren’t able to see anything else after that, as Robin snapped out of her own state of shock and buried your face in her neck. “Don’t watch this, Lucky,” she whispered.

A hand landed on your head, gently stroking your hair. It feels like Sanji. He confirmed this by speaking lowly, “Robin, get Nami and Chopper and head back to the ship. Prepare it to set sail, it looks like we’re not going to be finishing these games after all.” He peaked around her shoulder to be able to look you in the eyes, “Don’t worry Lucky. We will never let you get taken away again, I promise.”

Many Foxy pirates swarmed around you ready to attack, only to get sent flying by Sanji. He didn’t even look back at you and Robin, “Go! I’ll protect you so just focus on getting the others and going back to the ship.”

“Right, let’s go Lucky,” Robin held you securely in her arms and ran. “Navigator! Doctor! We’re leaving, follow me!” They didn’t need to be told twice, cutting through the crowd to run in tandem with you and Robin. “We need to free the ship and get it ready to sail!”

“Should be easy enough,” Nami said. She caught your eye and switched to a softer tone, “When we get back to the ship, I need you to go hide in our room until one of us comes to get you, okay?”

“O-Okay,” you sniffled pitifully. At least the tears had stopped now. You chose to nestle in closer in Robin arms for the duration of the sprint back to the Going Merry, eager to leave and for this to all be behind you.

[differentpostrebel]

Lost and Found: A Pirates Promise

Chapter 49 Part 2: A Touch Too Far

A/N: We are back at it again, with a new chapter! As an added bonus I will be uploading a teaser for the next chapter, and when I tell you shit will hit the fan… Will y/n fall into temptation, and her defiance be broken, has she finally met her match, will Sanji give into temptation, and sucumb to weakness. Thank you guys for liking and following, along with reblogging my posts! In this chapter we have Sanji POV… Y/N POV… a flashback memory, sparring match between Judge and y/n, Nami POV… Reiju moments and more! This chapter I went back and forth originally. This is also one of my longest word counts, and there is some teasing and light smut. And with out further ado, let the adventure begin!

Word Count: 24.6K

Judge's footsteps echoed through the grand hall, his back stiff and rigid with irritation, as if my defiance had rubbed him the wrong way—though I couldn’t deny the slight hint of curiosity in his eyes. His authority was clearly shaken, even if he refused to show it. Big Mom’s laughter still reverberated in my mind, but her amused gaze shifted to Judge, as if silently enjoying the unfolding drama. She didn’t make a move to stop me; rather, she seemed content to watch the spectacle.

As we moved through the palace, the air felt charged with a certain electricity, the space around us thick with anticipation. My steps were light but purposeful, my heels clicking sharply on the stone floor as I followed behind him. I wasn’t afraid—far from it. If anything, I was eager, ready to finally release the pent-up frustration that had been building within me.

Judge led me outside, into a large training yard surrounded by high stone walls. It was deserted, save for the occasional breeze rustling through the trees, the stillness only adding to the tension in the air. The yard was perfect for what I had in mind—a place where I could finally test my limits, both physically and mentally. The stone ground beneath our feet was firm, offering a steady foundation for a fight, and the walls, imposing and high, held the noise in, amplifying every movement, every sound.

Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji stood off to the side, watching the unfolding scene. Their eyes were intense, but I could see the intrigue in their gazes, each one reacting to the tension that was rapidly building. Reiju, however, was nowhere to be seen—likely busy elsewhere or keeping her distance from the confrontation. But I didn’t mind. This was about me and Judge, and I had no intention of letting anyone else dictate how this would go.

Big Mom, standing off to the side, was grinning widely, her sharp eyes gleaming with amusement. She didn’t speak, but I could tell from her posture that she was more than enjoying the spectacle. It was rare for her to watch a fight so closely, but something told me she saw potential in this sparring match—or perhaps she was simply curious to see how it would unfold.

I grabbed the sword I had chosen for this fight—nothing like the hidden blades or my own sword King had given me, but it would have to do. The weight was slightly off, the hilt not quite as comfortable as my usual weapons, but it would serve its purpose. With a quick flick of my wrist, I inspected the blade, watching the sunlight glint off of it. My heart raced with anticipation, the thrill of the fight already coursing through me.

"Before we start," I said, my voice sharp and focused. "Let me do one final test on the blade."

I turned towards a couple of nearby trees and walked a few steps ahead. I raised the sword, testing its sharpness by slicing through the air in a clean arc, the blade effortlessly cutting into the bark of the tree in front of me. A soft shhk rang out as the bark was sliced through, the precision of my movement satisfying. The sword was ready.

Judge’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of approval passing through them despite the cold exterior. He knew this would be no easy fight, especially when I wasn’t holding back.

"Very well, Y/N," Judge said, his voice low, almost mocking. "Let’s see if your swordplay matches your attitude."

Without warning, he charged forward, his powerful form moving with controlled speed. I could feel the intensity of his presence, the force of his strikes before he even reached me. His first swing was fast and direct, a powerful slash aimed straight at my midsection.

I barely avoided it, ducking under the blow and sidestepping just in time. The momentum of his attack carried him forward, and I quickly darted in, spinning low to the ground and cutting through the air with my blade. I aimed for his shoulder, but Judge reacted faster than I anticipated, his body twisting with surprising agility for someone of his size.

He countered with a swift roundhouse kick, aiming for my head. I narrowly blocked it, the force behind his leg rattling through my core. I stepped back, raising my sword defensively. But Judge wasn’t giving me any time to recover. His strikes came one after another, relentless and fierce—he was testing my limits, trying to break through my defenses.

I managed to dodge another strike, but the force of his swing created a shockwave, pushing me back a few steps. It was then I decided to show him just what I was made of. I performed a quick back handspring, flipping backwards and landing smoothly into a low slide, my feet skimming across the stone. The momentum of the move carried me into a perfect position to strike again.

Judge lunged toward me with another vicious strike, his strike aimed straight at my arm. But I anticipated it. With fluid motion, I pivoted on my back foot, my blade flashing as I swiped it across his clothes. The cut was clean, and I could see the fabric of his shirt tear from the force of my strike. It wasn’t deep, but the message was clear—I wasn’t holding back anymore.

Judge growled, his eyes now burning with frustration. The soft rip of his clothes only fueled his anger, but he didn’t pause for a second. He swung again, even faster this time, trying to land a decisive blow. Strike after strike came, and each time I dodged or blocked, using my agility to stay just out of his range.

I executed a back handspring again, this time landing in a crouch before I pushed off the ground and slid across the yard with a burst of speed. The sharp click of my heels echoed in the air as I closed the distance between us.

"Not bad," Judge sneered, sweat now dotting his forehead. "But you’re not fast enough."

"I’m fast enough to keep you on your toes," I shot back, my grin widening as I felt the fight heating up.

Judge’s frustration only seemed to drive him harder, each movement sharper, more brutal. He came at me once more, but I was already anticipating his next move. I could feel the rhythm of the fight now, every movement flowing into the next, my body moving with instinct and precision.

The yard was alive with the sound of clashing blows, my blade flashing as I parried, blocked, and attacked, Judge’s powerful strikes coming at me like a storm. But I wasn’t just defending—I was finding my openings, striking with calculated precision, just enough to keep him on edge, to make him doubt his own control.

Big Mom’s laughter echoed in the background as the fight grew more intense, but she remained silent, clearly enjoying every moment. "Looks like you're giving him a challenge, Y/N," she chuckled.

The force of Judge's strike landed with a thundering crash, his fist slamming into the ground so hard that it created a visible dent in the stone. The shockwave from the impact rippled through the air, and I felt the ground tremble beneath my feet. But instead of stumbling back, I clenched my left fist, the surge of adrenaline making my body react before my mind had even processed the next move.

I wasn’t about to let him have the upper hand.

In one fluid motion, I spun into the air, my body twisting with practiced grace as I propelled myself off the ground. The wind rushed past me, and I could hear the faint whistle of air as my body flipped, my feet tracing an arc toward Judge’s exposed back. I landed silently behind him, crouched low to the ground, my feet firmly planted.

Without hesitation, I swept my sword forward in a precise arc, aiming for his side. The sharp sound of metal cutting through the air rang out as the blade made contact with Judge’s clothing. The strike was clean and swift—his shirt ripped, and a small gash appeared along his side.

Judge’s eyes widened for a brief second, the realization of my speed dawning on him. His body tensed, his muscles shifting as he immediately spun around, aiming to retaliate. But I was already a step ahead. I could see the anger building in his eyes, his hands clenching into fists. His movements were faster now, more unpredictable.

He launched forward again, his strikes faster and more powerful, each one aimed at my head, my chest, my legs, trying to break my rhythm. But I danced around each blow, my movements fluid and instinctive, reacting faster than I thought I could.

"I can do this all day, Judge," I taunted, narrowly dodging another strike, spinning out of the way with a backflip that sent me skimming across the stone. I landed smoothly, turning to face him once more, my sword raised and ready.

Judge’s frustration was now palpable. His attacks were becoming more desperate, more forceful. I could see the veins in his neck pulsing, his jaw clenched as he let out a roar of frustration. His next strike was wild, an overhead swing that came down like a hammer.

I didn’t flinch. I sidestepped just in time, spinning on my heel, my sword coming up to strike. The blade cut through the air, landing another shallow but deliberate cut along Judge's arm.

“You’re getting sloppy,” I smirked, stepping back to avoid another retaliatory strike. Judge’s anger was fueling him now, but his focus was starting to fray.

Big Mom’s laughter rang out from the sidelines, her gleaming eyes following every move. She clearly enjoyed watching this, her monstrous grin never fading. “Ha! Judge, you might want to take a page from Y/N’s book—speed’s your weakness!” she chuckled, her voice carrying across the yard.

Judge, barely holding onto his composure, let out a sharp breath, his glare burning into me. "You’re playing a dangerous game, Y/N,” he growled, but his voice was starting to lose its edge, the tension in it shifting.

I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of seeing me break. Every movement felt sharper now, more focused. I was pushing myself beyond what I thought I could do. This wasn’t just a sparring match anymore—it was a test of wills, and I wasn’t going to let Judge’s pride crush mine.

I darted in again, striking with my sword at a quick pace, landing another series of hits that made him flinch. With every blow, I could feel the balance of the fight tipping in my favor. Judge’s movements were slowing, his breathing more labored. He was tiring, and I could tell it was only a matter of time before I would land the final blow.

As the fight raged on, the intensity in the air only grew. The sharp sound of metal clashing against metal echoed in the yard, a testament to the raw power of our movements. Judge’s attacks were relentless, and as I continued to dodge and strike, I could feel the strain in my muscles, my body pushing itself to its limits. Every move was calculated, every attack I made aimed at testing the boundaries of both our skills.

But it wasn’t just the clash of our bodies and weapons that filled the space; the voices of Judge’s sons rang out from the sidelines, cutting through the tension.

“Go, Dad! Show her what you’re made of!” Niji yelled, his voice filled with a mix of excitement and confidence. His gaze was sharp, watching every movement, ready to cheer on his father at every opportunity.

“Yeah, pop! Don’t let her get the best of you!” Yonji added, his voice high with enthusiasm. It was clear that despite their earlier teasing and rivalry, they had their father’s back in this moment. Their cheers echoed through the yard, urging Judge to push even harder.

I gritted my teeth, knowing I couldn’t let these distractions break my focus. With a swift step back, I spun to avoid another strike from Judge, but his speed had picked up once more, and I felt the sharp sting of his blade catch me across my left thigh. The cut was shallow, but it was enough to make me pause for just a split second, the pain of it burning through my leg.

“Damn…” I muttered, gritting my teeth and clenching my fist in frustration. My sword tightened in my grip as I steadied myself, but just as I was about to move again, something caught my eye.

From the corner of the yard, I noticed a familiar figure—Reiju, her signature cool demeanor as composed as ever. But it wasn’t just her I saw behind her; there, stepping into the training yard, was Sanji.

“Sanji?” I muttered under my breath, the surprise making my heart skip a beat. There he was, standing beside Reiju, his eyes locked on mine. A mix of emotions flickered across his face—concern, confusion, and maybe… relief? It was hard to tell from this distance, but his presence in the midst of this tension felt like a stark contrast.

I barely had time to process the sight of him before Judge’s next strike came crashing down, a brutal swipe aimed directly at my arm. I quickly ducked and spun away, narrowly avoiding the blow. But as I did, I couldn’t shake the thought of Sanji, standing there with Reiju.

“What the hell are you doing here, Sanji?” I muttered to myself, focusing on the fight once more. My mind raced—his sudden appearance was no coincidence. Had he been watching the fight the entire time? Or was he here for something else?

Judge, seeing my distraction, seized the opportunity. He launched a flurry of attacks, his eyes gleaming with determination, trying to catch me off guard.

“You should be paying attention to the fight, Y/N,” Judge spat, his voice dripping with venom. "You’re losing focus."

I barely dodged the next strike, hearing the whoosh of air as his strike grazed my cheek, the force of it just missing.

“I’m not losing focus, Judge,” I shot back, my voice steady despite the burn in my muscles. “I’ve just got more on my mind than you think.”

But before I could retaliate, Sanji’s voice, clear and full of concern, broke through the tension, reaching me from the sidelines.

“Y/N, be careful!” he called, his tone not like the usual teasing but something more genuine. "Don't push yourself too hard!" His eyes were filled with worry, and for a moment, I found myself distracted once again.

Judge, sensing the opening, took another strike at me, this time landing a deeper cut along my side. I gasped, stumbling back just a step, the wound throbbing.

“Damn it!” I cursed, holding my side, the pain intensifying as the blood began to seep through my clothes. But even as I staggered back, I knew I couldn’t let this stop me. Not now.

“Get out of my head, Sanji…” I muttered to myself, taking a deep breath and stepping forward once again, determined not to let the distraction cost me.

The fight had reached its breaking point. Judge, seeing his chance to end it, tried to land a final, devastating blow with his sword, his expression one of pure focus and intensity. His attack came down with a deadly precision, the blade slicing through the air toward me.

But I was ready. In an instant, I flipped backward into a handstand, using my arms to push myself up just enough to avoid the sword’s deadly arc. As I twisted my body in the air, my legs shot out, and with a swift move, I grabbed the hilt of Judge’s sword with my feet. The momentum from the spin allowed me to whip the blade out of his grip and send it hurtling to the side.

Judge stumbled, his feet unable to catch up with the unexpected move, and he crashed to the ground with a heavy thud, creating a small dent in the stone yard beneath him.

In that moment, I seized my opportunity. With fluid grace, I dropped down on top of him, landing lightly on his chest, my sword now pointed directly at his throat. The silence that followed was almost deafening, the tension in the air thick enough to cut through.

I smirked down at him, my breath steady despite the adrenaline rushing through me. “I win,” I said with a calm confidence, not giving him the chance to retaliate. The finality of the words hung in the air, a sharp contrast to the flurry of motions we’d just gone through.

Ichiji, who had been standing off to the side, watching the fight intently, couldn't contain himself any longer. He let out a loud cheer, his voice ringing with pride and something else—satisfaction, perhaps. “That's my girl!” he shouted, clapping his hands in admiration.

I turned my gaze to Judge, still on the ground beneath me, his eyes burning with frustration and something darker. “Next time, don’t call me a distraction,” I said coldly, my tone sharp as I dropped my sword to the side. I clenched my left fist, the force of it sending a small shiver through my arm, before I gracefully leaped off him, landing beside him with perfect balance.

I took a step away, ready to walk off with the fight over, but just as I was about to turn, I heard the distinct sound of Judge’s movement behind me. He was up again, grabbing his sword in a swift, angry motion, his intentions clear. He was going to try to attack me from behind.

I didn’t even need to look. With a quick, practiced movement, I spun on my right leg and executed a roundhouse kick, the impact sharp and clean. My foot connected with Judge’s chest with a force that sent him flying past me, his body skidding along the ground before crashing into a stone pillar.

The force of the kick left Judge sprawled on the ground, panting heavily. He looked up at me, his eyes filled with fury and disbelief, but he said nothing.

I watched as he struggled to stand, but I didn’t give him a chance to recover. Instead, I casually brushed my hands off and walked toward the sidelines, ignoring the heavy stares from his sons.

“Don’t come after me again,” I muttered, turning just enough to make my voice heard by him, though my back was turned. “You’re not my equal.” Judge growled in frustration, his fists clenching at his sides as he slowly stood, still nursing the wound to his pride. "How did you know..." His voice was thick with disbelief and irritation.

I paused, turning just enough to meet his gaze, my expression cool and calculated. "I trained for two years, day and night, pushing myself past normal limits," I said, my tone sharp. I felt a subtle hum in the air, a faint glow emanating from my hidden blade—a reminder of the power I carried, hidden but always present. "Sneak attacks? They're my forte. The man who trained me taught me everything I know in the game of battle. And I don’t just fight with strength—I fight with strategy."

Judge's eyes flickered with a mix of resentment and understanding. He knew all too well the value of training, the cost of pushing oneself beyond what was expected. But what he didn’t know was the level I had reached, nor the tools I had learned to use in the heat of battle.

As I turned to walk away, ready to leave the yard and the confrontation behind, I noticed something unsettling: Sanji was gone. My heart skipped a beat, confusion and concern mingling as I scanned the area.

Reiju, ever the enigmatic presence, stood off to the side, a playful gleam in her eyes as she watched me. Her gaze was teasing, but there was something more beneath it—perhaps a hint of amusement or perhaps something deeper, a quiet understanding.

Before I could respond, a guard rushed in, interrupting the moment. “Big Mom! One of the guards has been knocked out, and the prisoners have arrived!” His voice was breathless, and panic flickered in his eyes.

“How was he knocked out?!” Big Mom demanded, her tone sharp and dangerous.

“I—I don’t know, but there’s cream everywhere!” the guard stammered, clearly overwhelmed by the situation.

"Hmm, so they finally found him," I thought to myself, my gaze flicking over to Big Mom in the courtyard as she observed the commotion. I tilted my head, allowing my curiosity to build as I turned toward her.

"Oh my, is everything alright?" I asked sweetly, my voice dripping with feigned concern. It was a game I played well, using my charm to disarm and deceive those around me.

Big Mom gave me a measured glance, but her expression softened as she responded. "It is, my dear. Why don’t you all make yourselves at home, and I’ll deal with this matter personally." With a nod, she followed the guard toward the source of the disturbance.

Just as the guard turned to lead Big Mom out, his eyes briefly landed on me, suspicion flashing across his face. The tension in the air was palpable, but before he could act on his instincts, I quickly clenched my right hand. I pointed discreetly at him, sending a small burst of electricity crackling from my fingers. It hit him just hard enough to make him stumble, throwing him off balance.

“Are you alright?” Big Mom asked, raising an eyebrow at the guard, her tone still calm but sharp.

“Y-Yes, just slipped!” he muttered, shaking his head to rid himself of the disorientation. His unease was obvious, but he quickly masked it, moving to follow Big Mom without a second glance in my direction. I smirked to myself, feeling a small thrill run through me. The guard wouldn't remember what had really happened, and I had left my mark—if only subtly.

Niji, watching from the sidelines, couldn’t contain his amusement. He let out a low whistle as he made his way toward me, his eyes gleaming with admiration. "My, my dear sister-in-law, who knew you had it in you..." He smirked, clearly entertained. "I gotta say, watching that sparring match up close was a real treat."

I raised an eyebrow at him, my tone playful yet teasing. "Glad you enjoyed the show," I replied, letting the words hang between us. I clenched my fists and gave them a quick roll, feeling the satisfying release of tension in my muscles. "Man, I needed that... Thanks for the sparring match, Judge!" I called out with a smirk, I turned my gaze to see Yonji helping Judge to his feet. The older man's pride was clearly bruised, but his posture remained as stiff and regal as ever. They made their way toward us, though I could tell Judge’s thoughts were simmering with frustration.

“Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m going to get patched up, maybe grab some breakfast from outside, take a shower, and rest once all that’s done,” I said, my voice softening as I felt the exhaustion finally start to settle in. The adrenaline was quickly wearing off, and the fight had taken its toll. My body was sore, my mind a little fuzzy from the intensity of everything. It wasn’t often I pushed myself like that, but the feeling of victory was worth the aches that were now setting in.

Before I could take another step, Ichiji grabbed my wrist, his grip firm, but his expression was a mix of amusement and something more possessive. He held me in place, his smirk never faltering. “Going somewhere, darling?” he asked, his voice low and teasing, the playful undertone carrying just enough command to make me hesitate.

I tilted my head back and forced a tired yawn, trying to play it off. “Just getting patched up,” I replied nonchalantly. “Then I’ll grab something to eat, shower, and probably take a rest. I’ve had enough excitement for one day.” I made sure my words were casual, but there was an underlying truth in them. Kicking ass sure can tire a girl out, I thought to myself.

Ichiji’s eyes glinted with something deeper, a hunger that didn’t have anything to do with food. “Let’s go to my room, then,” he suggested, his voice dropping a few octaves as he moved in closer. “I’ll help you patch that up. Then you can shower, and afterward, we can grab breakfast together. How does that sound?” His tone was suggestive, the kind of offer that made me pause, knowing exactly what he was implying.

Before I could protest, Yonji and Niji appeared out of nowhere, both of them smirking and clearly eager to make a comment on the situation.

“Oh? Playing nurse now, Ichiji?” Yonji teased, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow.

“Didn’t know you had it in you,” Niji added, his grin widening with every word.

Ichiji shot them both a venomous look, his jaw tightening as he glared at his younger brothers. “Shut up, both of you,” he snapped, but the edge in his voice only made their grins widen even more. There was something amusing about seeing Ichiji, usually so composed, visibly rattled by his brothers' playful jabs. But I wasn’t sure if he was more annoyed with them or with the fact that he hadn’t gotten his way yet.

As if on cue, Reiju stepped in smoothly, her calm voice cutting through the tension. “I’ll be helping her patch up her wounds, so don’t worry,” she said, her eyes flicking between me and Ichiji. Her calm, no-nonsense demeanor seemed to settle the atmosphere, and I felt a small sense of relief wash over me. She didn’t need to say more; the reassurance was in the way she spoke. I could tell Ichiji didn’t mind her stepping in, but it definitely ruined his plans for a one-on-one session.

I breathed a quiet sigh of relief, turning toward Reiju with a small smile. “Thanks, Reiju,” I said, grateful for her timely intervention. Ichiji loosened his grip on my wrist, though his gaze remained on me, intense and lingering. He looked like he was about to say something, but I beat him to it.

With a casual glance, I leaned forward and planted a kiss on Ichiji’s cheek. The gesture was brief but intentional, just enough to leave a lingering warmth that made his eyes go wide behind his shades. For a split second, he looked stunned, and I couldn’t help but find it amusing. A small, playful smile tugged at my lips as I watched the effect I had on him.

Judge, who had been standing off to the side, clearly observing everything, stood stock-still as he witnessed the scene. His eyes narrowed, and I could practically feel the annoyance rolling off him in waves. “Really?” he muttered under his breath, his voice tight with disdain. “This childish display is unnecessary.” 

I raised an eyebrow, feeling the intensity of Judge’s glare behind me as his frustration simmered. I didn’t let his words faze me. Instead, I turned back toward him, a knowing smirk tugging at the corners of my mouth. “Don’t worry, Judge,” I said in a cool, mocking tone, my voice dripping with sweet sarcasm. “I’m just showing some affection to my soon-to-be husband. Is that ever so wrong?”

The words hung in the air, a teasing challenge, as I made sure to get under his skin as much as possible. I could feel the shift in the atmosphere as his face contorted with distaste, and the tension between us tightened.

Judge’s nostrils flared, his grip tightening on the sword at his side, but he didn’t move. He simply stood there, fuming. “You’re playing with fire, girl,” he growled, his voice low and seething with anger.

“Well, it’s a good thing,” I said with a wicked smirk, clenching my left hand, a flame flickering to life in my palm. “I enjoy the heat,” I added, casually uncurling my fingers and letting the flame die down. My eyes locked onto Ichiji’s. “And besides, Ichiji doesn’t seem to mind... do you?” I teased, my voice carrying a playful yet daring edge.

Ichiji blinked, a brief flicker of surprise in his eyes before a smirk tugged at his lips. “Not at all, darling,” he replied smoothly, his voice laced with amusement, though there was a possessive edge there as well. "You're... full of surprises."

Reiju, still standing beside me, gave a small nod of reassurance. I appreciated her steady presence, especially when dealing with the chaos that seemed to surround Ichiji and his brothers. Her calm demeanor helped keep me grounded, even in the midst of Judge’s frustration.

Without another word, I turned to leave, feeling the weight of Judge’s lingering stare at my back. I could almost feel the heat of his anger radiating toward me, but I was too satisfied with the moment to care. The small, victorious grin that pulled at my lips only grew wider as I stepped outside the training yard. One more victory under my belt.

But as I walked away, I could hear Judge’s voice rise behind me, sharp and full of frustration. “This isn’t over.”

I smirked without looking back, raising my hand and making an ‘OK’ gesture in the air with my fingers. “We’ll see about that,” I muttered under my breath, my tone light and dismissive, before turning back to Reiju and continuing on my way.

The sound of Judge’s frustrated growls faded as I walked with Reiju toward the medical ward of Big Mom’s château.

Nami's POV...

“At least Y/N finally has her blade back,” I muttered, looking around at our situation, "Now all we need to do is bust out of here!" Before I could catch my breath, more enemies began pouring in— the same ones who had defeated us earlier.

"What happened here? And where’s the blade you kept for Mama?" Mondour’s voice boomed as he surveyed the scene.

"I... I..." the Cream guy stammered, clearly shaken.

"Never mind that," Mondour snapped, his focus shifting back to us.

With defiance in my voice, I spoke up. "How long are you going to keep us like this? Let me take a shower at least! I'm covered in syrup—it's disgusting!"

Perospero smirked, licking his lips in that eerie way of his. "That sounds lickety sweet, candy girl. But you can complain to Mama."

He set a transponder snail down in front of us, and soon enough, Big Mom’s voice crackled through. "Well, hello there, Strawhat. It’s been a little while, but I commend you for making it this far."

I could see Luffy's expression shift, anger boiling over. "Is this Big Mom?! Let me out now! I have to save Y/N! And wait for Sanji! I will wreck this whole damn island if I have to!"

"Ma-ma-Ma-ma," Big Mom’s laughter rang in our ears, chilling us to the core. "My, my, such spirit. I was disappointed you didn’t bring your whole crew, Strawhat. You had some bold choice of words back on Fishman Island."

"Yeah, I’m still going to kick your ass someday, but right now, I’m only here to stop Y/N’s wedding and get Sanji back!" Luffy’s voice was sharp with determination.

Big Mom didn’t miss a beat. "I’ve heard enough of your bluff. You’re trapped in my book, and that’s where you’ll spend the rest of your meaningless life. Don’t you get it, Strawhat? The battle is over—you lost."

"I’ll fight you right here, right now!" Luffy’s voice roared through the snail, filled with rage. "Hey, are you scared? Come face me! I’m ready for a fight!"

Big Mom's laughter echoed again, a low, mocking sound. "Don’t press your luck. You’re just a rookie, Strawhat. Besides, my officers are more than capable of killing you. But let's make a deal. I’m willing to let you walk out of here with your life—but you have to forget both Sanji and that princess."

"Go to hell!" Luffy yelled, struggling against his restraints, every ounce of fury directed toward her.

Big Mom's tone grew even darker. "Sanji and Pudding’s wedding must run smoothly—they’re important to me. As for that princess, and the Vinsmokes, well... they’re important to me too. I will not have you ruin this. Once we’re having fun, I’ll see what happens then." Her voice dripped with malice.

Luffy's determination never wavered as he shouted back, "You won't have fun at all! I’m taking Sanji and Y/N back!"

"Better yet," Luffy added, his voice growing more intense, "I want to talk to Pudding! She’s my friend, and she helped my crew!"

Before Luffy could get another word in, Perospero struck him, sending him crashing back with a cruel laugh. "You don’t get to make demands here, Strawhat."

And then, Big Mom’s voice cut through the air like a knife, laced with accusation. "Speaking of which, young lady," her attention shifted toward me, "I heard you killed my daughter, Lola."

My heart dropped. "What are you talking about? Lola and I were friends! Lola told me if I was ever in trouble, you would help me!"

Big Mom’s laughter echoed through the transponder snail, but this time it was cold, heartless. "I would do no such damn thing! I want her dead!" Her voice thundered with hatred, causing my breath to catch in my throat.

"What…?" I gasped in shock, unable to believe the words coming out of her mouth.

"She’ll pay!" Big Mom continued, her voice filled with wrath. "Mark my words, I want her dead for disobeying me!"

Luffy, still struggling to his feet, shouted back, "You’re making stupid excuses, Big Mom! Lola didn’t get married, and that’s on her! You haven’t become King of the Pirates, and that’s on you! Nothing else to it! Now, get over here and fight me! I’m taking my crew back, and I’ll make you sorry!"

Luffy's resolve was unwavering, his words hitting harder than any attack. The tension in the air was thick, and I could feel the weight of Big Mom’s fury mounting. 

Sanji POV… 

I stormed into my room, slamming the door behind me, the walls rattling from the force. My blood was boiling, my mind racing. I couldn’t believe she’d been out there sparring with that bastard Judge, willingly stepping into his twisted game. The second I saw her getting distracted, struggling to dodge him as well as I knew she could, and that slight wound on her thigh… I knew I had to leave. If I stayed, I might’ve done something reckless. But it gnawed at me—she wouldn’t have gotten injured like that if I’d been there. My chest felt tight as the frustration surged, and I felt like punching a hole through the wall.

I took another drag, letting the smoke settle in my lungs, but it did nothing to steady the turmoil raging inside me. My mind was spinning with images of her fighting Judge, enduring wounds she never should have taken. The sound of her voice echoed in my mind, clear as day, and the thought of her struggling out there alone—it drove me mad. She’d always been strong, fierce enough to face anything head-on, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d let her down.

“Damn it!” I growled, kicking a chair across the room with a force that splintered the wood. The room was quiet, save for the crackling of the burning cigarette and my own rapid breaths. How did it come to this? How had I let things slip so far out of control? All my efforts to protect her, to keep her out of this Vinsmoke mess, had led her right into the eye of it. And now, she was paying for my failures.

The biting thought cut through, dark and unrelenting: Why do you care so much? You walked away, remember? I clenched my jaw, hating the truth of it. You left her, I repeated to myself. You left her to deal with all of this alone. My chest felt tight as I whispered, “I’ll always care about her… doesn’t matter what happens.”

It wasn’t just guilt—it ran deeper than that. She had always meant more to me than anyone else. More than I’d ever admitted. She was more than a friend, more than just another person I wanted to protect. She’d been the one person who saw past all the armor I put up, the only one who believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. And now, I wasn’t there to protect her. Not like I should’ve been.

My mind drifted back to the day we first met. It felt like a lifetime ago, in a world that seemed simpler. 

Flashback:

Luffy was practically bouncing on his feet with excitement, oblivious to anything but his mission to get Y/N on the crew. The way he offered an invitation was as if we’d all known each other for years. And Y/N—she was standing there, clearly amused by his enthusiasm but holding her own, not so easily swayed.

“Are you sure?” she asked, tilting her head with a grin as she gave us all a once-over. The look in her eyes was sharp, assessing, like she was measuring us up, one by one. But there was something else too, something softer, like she was considering that maybe, just maybe, we were worth her time.

“Of course!” Luffy replied, that unstoppable grin stretching across his face. “If I’m going to be King of the Pirates, I need the best crew out there! And you’re one of them! Besides, you saved me back there in Alabasta, remember?”

She laughed a little at that, crossing her arms. “I wasn’t going to let a marine like Smoker lay a hand on you or anyone else for that matter. Vice Admiral or not.” Her voice held a fierce determination, a quiet strength that I found myself admiring.

When her gaze swept across the deck and landed on me, my heart did a somersault. Her eyes were captivating—sharp, confident, but playful. In that split second, I felt my breath catch, my pulse speeding up in a way I couldn’t control.

“Sure, why not,” she said finally, stepping onto the ship with that teasing smirk that I was already beginning to love.

Zoro was there in a flash, extending a hand in welcome. “Guess I’m the first to greet you officially. Zoro,” he said with a cocky grin.

Y/N raised an eyebrow at him, clearly amused. “I know you—Pirate Hunter Zoro,” she replied, a hint of mischief in her voice. “I must say, you look better in person than on your wanted poster.”

Zoro chuckled, taking the compliment with a bit more swagger than usual. She noticed the swords strapped to his side and gave an appreciative nod, her eyes sparkling. “Three swords—that’s a unique style. Impressive.”

Zoro seemed to bask in the attention, nodding. “I don’t mind showing you a few moves sometime,” he said, flashing her a rare smile.

She laughed again, and this time, I caught myself just watching, drawn in. That laugh was something else—light and genuine, like she was already starting to feel at home here.

“Well, then,” she turned to Zoro, still grinning, “you’ll be the first I call on when I need a sparring partner.”

“Don’t get too close to him; he’s not the best with directions,” Nami chimed in, making her way over to greet Y/N. "Hi, my name is Nami."

Y/N smiled warmly at Nami as she extended her hand. “Nice to meet you, Nami. I’ll make sure to keep Zoro on track,” she said with a wink. “If I get lost too, I’ll just follow the mapmaker.”

Nami laughed, patting Y/N’s shoulder. “Good luck with that. Keeping this crew on course is a full-time job.”

Y/N chuckled before looking down at Chopper, who was practically glowing with excitement. She scooped him up, hugging him close. “Well, aren’t you the cutest reindeer I’ve ever met?” she said, causing Chopper to squirm and blush, his little hooves waving in the air.

“I-I’m not cute! You’re just flattering me!” he stammered, but his eyes sparkled, betraying his delight.

Then Usopp stepped forward, looking a bit uneasy. “Uh, hi! I’m Usopp!” He fidgeted, glancing between Y/N and the rest of the crew. “I’m…uh…the legendary sniper of this crew!” he added, trying to sound impressive despite the tremor in his voice.

Y/N grinned, crossing her arms. “A legendary sniper, huh?” she echoed with a playful smirk. “I guess I better stay on your good side then, huh?”

Usopp straightened, his confidence bolstered by her reaction. “Exactly! With me around, you’ll be safe from anything!” he said proudly, puffing out his chest. “I mean, I’ve faced giant sea monsters and taken down entire armies!” He hesitated, realizing he might be overdoing it, but Y/N’s encouraging nod kept him going.

“That sounds amazing, Usopp!” she said, her eyes wide with mock awe. “With skills like that, I’m lucky to be joining such a strong crew.”

Luffy laughed, patting Usopp on the back. “See, Usopp? She knows greatness when she sees it!”

As she continued to explore the ship, taking in every detail with keen interest, Luffy couldn’t help but beam with pride. "So, what do you think?" he asked, grinning widely.

"I like it," she said, glancing around, clearly impressed. 

But before I could bask in her approval any longer, she turned to Ace, flashing him a grin that made my stomach twist. "Now who might you be?" she asked, clearly intrigued. "Love the hat, by the way. Are you always this shirtless?"

Ace stepped forward with his usual swagger, running a hand through his messy hair. "I'm not in the crew. I'm part of a different crew, pretty sure you may have heard of them—Whitebeard Pirates."

The moment he spoke those words, my blood ran cold. But I forced myself to keep it together. I had no right to be jealous—right?

Y/N tilted her head, her grin growing wider. "Oh, I’ve heard of them. And I know you guys call Whitebeard 'pops.'"

My jaw tightened, and my eyes narrowed as I watched the exchange. There she was, completely at ease, teasing him, her playful tone ringing in my ears.

“How do you know my captain?” she teased, raising an eyebrow.

Ace’s grin turned a little cocky. "I'm his older brother," he said, flexing his arms like he was trying to show off. "I'm also the second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates."

I couldn't help it. My hand clenched into a fist, and I scowled.

That damn swagger of his…

There was no doubt in my mind that Ace was enjoying every moment of Y/N’s attention, and I couldn't stand it. My gaze shifted between them, and I felt a deep, burning frustration that I wasn’t getting her undivided attention. She was so captivating, and now Ace was getting a taste of it too.

I had to keep my cool. After all, I was Sanji—the cook, the ladies’ man. But it didn't stop the annoying knot in my stomach.

"Second division commander, huh?" Y/N said, her voice teasing yet full of admiration. "Impressive, Ace. Looks like you’ve got some stories to tell."

He flexed again, clearly basking in her attention. "I’ve got plenty," he said with a wink, before giving a mock bow.

Luffy burst out laughing, slapping Usopp on the back. "See, I told you she'd be perfect!"

Y/N laughed along with him, clearly enjoying herself. "Well, I do owe Ace here a bit of thanks," she said, turning to face him. "When I was fighting those marines, saving Luffy, Ace helped me out as well."

To my horror—and Ace’s surprise—she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek, a soft, genuine gesture of gratitude. "And for that, I'm thankful," she said, her smile warm and sincere.

Ace’s face instantly turned red, and I couldn’t stop the annoyance from bubbling up inside me.

"Ace! You're blushing!" teased Luffy, who was practically rolling on the ground laughing. "I knew it! She’s got you!"

I seethed quietly, my fists clenched at my sides. This was too much. Was I really going to let this happen?

That’s when I decided it was time for my grand entrance.

I strutted into the room dramatically, carrying a small slice of dessert on a delicate plate and a cup of tea in my hand.

"Ohhh, my sweet, thank you, dear ocean, for bestowing this beauty upon us," I declared, my voice dripping with flair as I approached Y/N.

She looked pleasantly surprised, her eyes lighting up as she took in my theatrics. "Why, that’s very kind of you. Thank you!" she replied, her smile brightening the atmosphere around us like the sun breaking through clouds.

"Actually," she continued, her voice a little hesitant, "I was wondering if you might have a different choice of drink—perhaps wine or sake?" she asked, almost apologetically, as though she feared she was asking too much.

Before I could respond, ready to swoop in with my own offer, Zoro stepped forward, a smirk on his face.

"I could show you where we keep the good stuff," he said, his usual gruffness tinged with an unexpected hint of charm.

My eye twitched. Was this guy really trying to put the moves on her? Of course, I couldn’t just stand there and let him steal my moment. Not happening.

"Not bad, Zoro," I thought, suppressing a chuckle as I watched him try to outshine me. But deep down, I felt a flicker of annoyance. Why did he think he could impress her just by offering her drinks?

Y/N glanced at Zoro, an amused expression tugging at her lips. "I appreciate that, but I might need a guide who won’t get lost on the way," she teased, raising an eyebrow. I couldn’t help but admire her sharp wit—that’s my girl.

Zoro shrugged, unfazed, but I could tell his confidence had taken a small hit. "I won’t get lost. Just follow me," he said, crossing his arms like he was still in control.

"All right, lead the way, swordsman," she said with a smile, her playful attitude sparking a competitive fire between us.

As they walked off, I stood there for a moment, trying to push the annoyance down. What was it about her that made everyone want to impress her? She had this magnetic pull, this undeniable charm that made even the toughest of us—Zoro included—act like fools.

But then, just as Y/N was about to follow Zoro, she paused. My heart skipped a beat when she glanced back at me, her eyes sparkling with mischief. I didn’t know what she was up to, but the playful grin on her face sent a rush of warmth through me.

Without warning, she leaned in, and before I could even react, her lips brushed against my cheek in the softest kiss. My breath caught in my throat, and my heart skipped several beats. The touch of her lips was a fleeting moment, but it felt like an eternity in the best way.

"Thanks for the dessert," she said, her voice light and sweet, her smile radiant as she pulled away and continued after Zoro.

I stood there, frozen for a moment, still feeling the tingling warmth where her lips had touched my skin. Did she just—?

“Anytime, my beloved!” I yelled, swooning dramatically as I placed a hand to my chest. My voice cracked slightly with excitement, but I didn’t care. She kissed me. She kissed me!

My heart soared as I watched her walk away, her eyes glancing back at me one more time, the sparkle of mischief still dancing in them. It was all I needed to see.

Flashback Over… 

That was just one of many memories I had with Y/N. The more I paced back and forth, the more my mind kept racing. “It’s fine, it’s fine, damn it," I muttered, trying to reassure myself. "Luffy and the others won’t get hurt, and the Baratie will be saved too." I clenched my fists, knowing full well that there was one thing still gnawing at me. Y/N’s wedding.

“I can’t let that bastard do something to her,” I gritted my teeth, picturing Ichiji standing next to Y/N, having his moment with her soon. The thought alone made my blood boil.

"I shouldn’t keep thinking about Y/N,” I thought, trying to push her out of my head. “I’m getting married tomorrow, and so is she." The words tasted bitter in my mouth. "Why can’t I be grateful? Pudding’s all I got, and who could hurt a sweet girl like her? I must be some kind of monster…”

Suddenly, a soft knock at my door pulled me out of my thoughts.

“Yes?” I called out, but there was no answer. Confused, I opened the door to find Pudding standing there, looking hesitant.

“Pudding? Is everything alright…?” I asked, concern lacing my voice.

Without a word, she stepped inside and pulled me into a tight embrace, catching me completely off guard.

“Sanji… is it alright if I stay with you tonight?” she asked, her voice soft, almost vulnerable.

“Pudding… but why would you—" Before I could finish, she silenced me with a kiss. My entire body froze, not expecting it, but soon after, I felt her warmth, and instinctively, I kissed her back. Was it like Y/N? No. But I wasn’t going to push Pudding away now.

After a few moments, she pulled back, her eyes wide and unsure. "Oh my… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”

This time, it was me who cut her off with a kiss. I was lost in the moment. Maybe it was the pressure of tomorrow’s wedding, or maybe I was trying to distract myself from the chaos in my heart, but for now, I let myself get lost in the comfort of the moment. "I won’t let you down, Pudding... I’ll shower you with love,” I said, trying to sound as genuine as I could, swooning at the thought. But no matter how hard I tried, that nagging feeling in the back of my head wouldn’t go away.

Y/N.

Her image flashed across my mind, even as I held Pudding close. I pulled back slightly, gazing down at her, and smiled, trying to shake off the unease. “Let’s take a nap,” I suggested softly, “it’s been a long day for both of us.”

Pudding nodded with a small, content smile and cuddled up against me, resting her head on my chest. I could feel her breath, steady and warm, as she relaxed into me. My heart started racing, but not just because of her.

As I laid there, staring up at the ceiling, the weight of everything pressed down on me. Y/N’s wedding tomorrow. Mine too. My mind was a whirlwind, filled with conflicting emotions. I was about to marry a sweet girl who loved me, but why did it feel so wrong? Why couldn’t I stop thinking about Y/N?

I let out a sigh, careful not to disturb Pudding, but I couldn’t shake the guilt gnawing at me. No matter what happens tomorrow… things will never be the same. 

Y/N POV… 

"I don't know, Reiju... I have doubts about Pudding," I muttered as she carefully bandaged up my wounds, making sure it was tight but not too constricting.

Reiju’s eyebrow lifted, her curiosity piqued. "What makes you say that?"

I sighed, trying to put my thoughts into words. "Call it a woman’s intuition, but I think she’s hiding something. I don’t know, I just... feel weird about her. No one’s that sweet and nice all the time."

Reiju hummed thoughtfully as she continued tending to my injuries. "And?"

"Well," I continued, "it’s not just that. She gets on my nerves too, but that’s more of a personal issue than anything. Still, something about her doesn't sit right with me."

Reiju nodded as if she understood more than she let on, her voice lowering to a near-whisper. “You’re not the only one…”

I was about to press her for more details when a sudden knock on the door interrupted the moment. My heart skipped a beat. I wasn’t expecting anyone—and I really wasn’t in the mood for interruptions.

The door swung open, and Ichiji stepped inside, his usual confident smirk plastered on his face. He closed the door behind him with a soft click, a gesture that somehow felt more like a trap than a mere action.

"Ichiji, what are you doing here?" Reiju asked, her voice laced with a mixture of suspicion and annoyance. She didn’t seem thrilled by his sudden appearance, and frankly, neither was I.

Ichiji didn’t flinch, his gaze turning to me, where my injuries—bandaged fist, left thigh wrapped, side wrapped, and the corset with a small hole—were plainly visible. His smirk grew wider as he made his way toward me.

"I came to see how my fiancée is doing," he said, his tone almost mocking, as though I were just another trophy he was trying to showcase. I could feel the tension rising, but I kept my gaze steady, not allowing him to get under my skin.

"Reiju, can you please leave my fiancée and I alone?" Ichiji's words were firm, the command unmistakable. His tone brooked no argument, as if my personal space and privacy meant nothing.

Reiju, caught in her own internal conflict, sighed deeply before reluctantly nodding. She glanced at me, her eyes betraying her concern, but she didn’t say a word. The click of the door locking behind her seemed to echo in the silence that followed. I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease, knowing Reiju was still nearby, and that she didn’t like this arrangement any more than I did.

Ichiji’s eyes locked onto mine, and I immediately noticed the way he moved closer. The space between us felt too small, too suffocating.

"Let’s go to Germa, for breakfast," he said casually, as though the suggestion were the most normal thing in the world.

I froze, blinking in disbelief. "That’s as far ass ride?!" I blurted out, taken aback. I didn’t want to go to Germa. I didn’t want to leave here, especially not with Luffy and Nami still being held captive. The thought of being so far from them was unbearable.

Ichiji’s smile didn’t waver as he leaned in slightly, his words cutting through the air. "Too bad, the Calicoat is outside waiting."

I couldn’t hide my confusion. "The Calicoat?" I repeated, my voice laced with uncertainty.

Without another word, Ichiji placed his head on my chest, his action so intimate, so invasive, that I couldn’t help but recoil slightly. "Let’s not waste any more time, my dear," he said, his voice lower now, almost as if he were trying to soften his words to draw me in.

Before I could respond, his lips brushed against my skin, planting soft, open-mouthed kisses along the curve of my chest. The sensation sent a shiver down my spine, and I couldn't stop the soft whimper that escaped my lips. I immediately regretted it, but his smirk grew even wider as he felt the reaction. He seemed to savor it, his lips trailing down further, as if he were marking his territory.

Ichiji pulled away just as I was about to protest, his eyes dark with satisfaction. "Let’s get some breakfast," he said with an amused tone, clearly enjoying the way my body had responded, even if I was not thrilled about it.

Before I could react, he yanked my arm with surprising force, pulling me to my feet. I stumbled, but he didn’t let go, his grip unyielding. "Can I at least shower and change...?" I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper, but full of frustration. The idea of facing the day in these clothes was unbearable.

"Nope," Ichiji replied smoothly, his smirk never faltering. "You can do that when we’re in Germa."

"Damn it, Ichiji!" I growled under my breath, frustration building inside me. With all my strength, I tried to yank my hand free, but his grip was ironclad. I tried to punch him, aiming for his side, but it was useless. He was faster, and before I knew it, he effortlessly lifted me up and placed me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Put me down!" I shouted, kicking and hitting him with everything I had, but he didn’t budge. His shoulder felt like a stone, his movements calm as he adjusted me slightly, clearly unaffected by my struggles.

I continued to squirm, but my attempts to break free only seemed to amuse him more. "You’re not going anywhere until I say so," he said, his voice almost smug.

Every inch of my body screamed in defiance, but Ichiji was too strong, and I was left helpless against his grip. Despite my best efforts to break free, all I could do was watch as we exited the medical wing of Big Mom’s chateau and headed for the unknown, my heart pounding with frustration and anger. I hated feeling this powerless.

.

.

.

After a few minutes of struggling, we reached the Calicoat, a grand, horse-drawn carriage with intricate designs etched into the wood. The horses stood patiently, their reins held by a soldier who was clearly waiting for us to board. Ichiji gave the soldier a brief order to head toward Germa, and the vehicle started rolling as we climbed inside.

I crossed my arms tightly in front of me, glaring at Ichiji from the other side of the carriage. My mind raced with thoughts of escape. If I didn’t have these damn bracelets, I thought bitterly, eyeing the cuffs on my wrists. Ichiji had locked them on, ensuring I couldn’t slip away. Another damn claim on me.

Ichiji seemed unfazed by my anger. He leaned back in his seat, his expression smug as always, and casually called over to me, "Come on, fiancée."

The word felt like a slap across my face, mocking me, a reminder of how helpless I was in this situation.

I shot him a venomous look from across the carriage but kept my mouth shut. Ichiji wasn’t bothered by my silence. In fact, his smirk only widened as he leaned forward, the same cocky gleam in his eyes that I had come to hate.

"I still have that hostage of yours," he said, his voice low, filled with that familiar arrogance. "So, I suggest you do as I say."

His words were meant to remind me of the leverage he held over me. Another thought came to mind as I sat there, fuming yet trapped in this situation. I have to play along, I reminded myself. King’s life is in jeopardy, which meant I couldn’t afford to make any wrong moves. I needed to act dumb, feign submission, and keep Ichiji from suspecting anything while I figured out my next move.

With a heavy sigh, I turned toward Ichiji. I knew it would make me feel sick to do it, but it was the only option for now. Slowly, I shifted and laid my head down on his lap, forcing a smile onto my face.

"I'm sorry," I said, my voice dripping with false sweetness, barely able to hold back the bile rising in my throat. "I guess with this whole wedding fiasco, me not eating, and the sparring match, it made me a bit cranky. I’m sorry, tiger."

The words felt like poison slipping off my tongue, but I pushed through the act, pretending to be docile and apologetic. The sheer sweetness of my apology was enough to make me want to gag, but it was the only way to keep Ichiji distracted and off guard. His smug grin only grew wider, seemingly pleased by my so-called "change of heart."

Ichiji ran a hand through my hair, his voice softer, almost satisfied. "It’s alright, fiancée. You’ve had a lot on your plate lately. Just relax, and I’ll take care of everything."

As I forced myself to lie there, pretending to be the dutiful fiancée, my mind raced. I knew I couldn’t let my guard down completely, not with King’s life hanging in the balance, but for now, I had to keep up the charade. I had to bide my time, play the part, and wait for an opening.

We finally arrived in Germa, and as the Calicoat came to a stop, the Germa soldiers began to cheer for Ichiji’s arrival. Their voices echoed with excitement and anticipation as they recognized his arrival.

"Master Ichiji is here!" one of them yelled, his voice full of reverence.

"His wife as well, it looks like she may have been injured," another soldier commented, his tone laced with concern.

"Ohhh no, I hope she is doing alright? Get better soon, Mrs. Vinsmoke!" one soldier yelled, causing me to falter for a brief moment. The idea of being called that sent a sickening wave through my chest, but I pushed it down and maintained my composure.

Ichiji stepped out of the Calicoat, his usual smug grin plastered across his face. He extended his hand toward me, and reluctantly, I took it. With my other hand clutching my side, I made my way down the steps, walking hand in hand with him, my every movement calculated to keep up the facade.

"Princess! I hope you feel better!" one soldier shouted, his voice full of exaggerated sympathy.

"Just look at the young master, he is being so careful with his fiancée," another soldier said, shedding a small tear. What the hell... I thought, gritting my teeth. I had to smile and play along, my stomach twisting at the sight of these people idolizing this twisted arrangement.

"Thank you all for your well wishes, I just had a small accident," I said, offering them a forced, pained smile. The crowd cheered louder, their adoration growing with every word I spoke.

"Thank you all for your concerns, we will be heading to get breakfast and then be back to the château for our wedding," Ichiji said with a smirk, his hand still holding mine as we moved through the crowd. The soldiers cheered even louder, their enthusiasm infectious, but I couldn’t let it fool me. This is all part of the show. Just keep playing along, I thought.

Ichiji, suddenly full of theatrics, scooped me up bridal style, his grip firm and possessive. I felt my body tense, but I didn't fight it. My heart raced, both from frustration and from something I couldn't quite pinpoint yet. 

"Look at that! They’re so in love!" one soldier yelled, his voice filled with excitement.

The cheering and whistling grew louder, and I could feel the eyes of the entire Germa army on us. As Ichiji carried me in his arms, I rested my head on his shoulder, my eyes scanning the crowd. If I have to endure this, I’ll be sure to get Ichiji to crack, I thought, my mind beginning to hatch a plan.

At that moment, I leaned up and kissed Ichiji’s neck, my lips pressing lightly against his skin. He stiffened for a second, but quickly relaxed into my touch, a pleased smirk crossing his face. The soldiers erupted into whistles and cheers, louder than before. I could feel the heat of their gaze, but it didn’t matter. I had a plan, and I was playing my part to perfection.

We finally reached the steps of the kingdom, and the grand doors opened before us. The servants and maids inside began to bustle, a few of them immediately noticing Ichiji and me. One maid caught my eye—her look lingering on Ichiji was unmistakable, almost hungry. Wouldn’t be surprised if they hooked up, I thought, rolling my eyes internally.

One of the maids I recognized approached. "Anne!" I called out, making my way toward her. As soon as she saw me, she smiled widely and then, to my surprise, her eyes widened in recognition, and she quickly bowed.

"My lady, it’s so wonderful to see you," she said with a soft voice.

I reached down and gently raised her head. "You will not bow for me. I won’t allow it," I said firmly. Her eyes flickered in surprise but she didn’t resist.

As I turned to face the rest of the room, I looked at all the other maids, standing there awkwardly. "Whatever my fiancé’s rules are, that’s on him, but no one will bow. Understood?" I added, my voice unwavering. There was a moment of hesitation in the room, the air thick with uncertainty.

One of the maids, who seemed to be trying too hard to win Ichiji’s favor, spoke up. "As if we would listen to you when Master Ichiji is standing there," she said with an air of bravado. Her eyes kept darting to Ichiji, practically fawning over him.

I turned my gaze to her, arching an eyebrow. "You must be..." I began, but the maid quickly interjected.

"My name is—"

"Irrelevant," I cut her off, my tone sharp. "As I suspected, you must have slept with my fiancé, haven’t you? You carry yourself like you’ve earned that bravado of yours." I smirked, my words dripping with disdain as I saw the color drain from her face.

The maid’s face flushed bright red. "I would do no such thing!" she stammered, her words defensive but her body language betrayed her. The way her hands shook slightly, her stance faltering—it was all too clear.

"Why so nervous?" I asked, a mocking smile pulling at my lips. "If what you say is the truth, then you shouldn’t falter at all, should you?" I leaned in slightly, making sure my gaze was locked with hers.

She stuttered again, trying to regain her composure, but I saw it—her guilt, her discomfort. Gotcha. I knew I had her rattled now.

I turned to Anne, forcing a smile that was as sweet as poison. "Anne, would you be a dear and take me to my shared quarters? I’d like to take a bath before breakfast," I said, my tone deliberately polite. "Better yet," I added with a sudden mischievous grin, turning back to Ichiji, "Tiger, would you like to share a bath with me?"

For a split second, Ichiji’s eyes flickered with something dangerous. He stiffened, and the hand he had resting on my shoulder tightened slightly, almost possessively. "Watch yourself, Y/N," he muttered under his breath, his voice low and threatening, but his words were laced with a possessiveness I couldn’t ignore. It wasn’t just a warning—it was a reminder of who he thought I belonged to. "I’m not going to let you embarrass me."

I raised an eyebrow, my smile not faltering. "I’m just asking if my fiancé would like to partake," I said sweetly, letting my words linger with a teasing edge. "But if he doesn’t want to join me, then don’t be surprised when the door is locked and I entertain myself."

The tension between us thickened, and I could feel his grip on my shoulder tightening even more as if he were holding me back from doing something he didn’t like. But I wasn’t about to let his jealousy control me.

With that, I turned toward Anne and took a step away from Ichiji, deliberately leaving a small but noticeable distance between us. "Please lead the way, my dear," I said, my voice dripping with sweet but venomous politeness.

As I walked past the other soldiers and maids, I threw a final glance over my shoulder at Ichiji. "Oh, and as for the rest of you," I said, my tone still cheerful, "great meeting you all. I’m sure my fiancé would like to spend time with you all as well." I couldn’t help but add a final touch of sarcasm, "Wouldn’t want to keep anyone waiting, now, would we?"

My platform heels clicked sharply on the stone floor, each step punctuating my words and solidifying my authority in this little game we were playing. I could almost feel Ichiji’s eyes on my back, burning with a mixture of frustration and possessiveness. It was a look I had seen too many times before—he didn’t like losing control, and he certainly didn’t like when I had the upper hand.

As Anne led me to my shared quarters, I could feel Ichiji’s eyes burning into my back, though I didn’t acknowledge him directly. His presence was a constant weight, a reminder of the power he thought he had over me. But I wasn’t going to break that easily.

"My lady, are you alright?" Anne asked with a concerned tone, making me laugh softly in response.

"Oh, I'm more than alright, Anne. I won't back down that easy," I said, my smile feigning confidence, though my mind was still racing.

Anne led me to the room I was assigned to when Ichiji first brought me here—his room. It wasn’t lost on me that it was also where he expected me to stay now that our “wedding” was drawing near. We walked inside, and as Anne shut the door behind us, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was in a gilded cage.

"Would you like me to run your bath, my lady?" Anne asked, a soft offer that I gratefully accepted.

"Yes, please," I replied, my voice softer now, though my mind was still sharp, calculating. Anne moved swiftly, preparing the bath in the large marble tub. It was the kind of bath you’d expect in a palace—luxurious, with gleaming marble walls and a tub large enough for someone to lose themselves in. There were large windows, tinted just enough to shield me from the outside world but still letting the sun’s light filter in, casting a soft glow over the room.

As Anne prepared the bath, I started to undo the layers of my attire. My corset came first, followed by my heels. The last pieces were my skirt, thigh halter, and hidden blades. As I slid the thigh halter off, my hidden blades remained firmly tucked in, ready for whatever came next.

"Your bath is ready, my lady," Anne said, turning toward me.

I smiled, a little relieved by the chance to unwind, even if just for a moment. "Thank you, Anne."

I then turned to her with a smile, catching her gaze. "Anne, what did I tell you when we first met?"

Anne blushed, her face turning a shade of pink. "Call me Y/N," she said softly, smiling in return.

"Exactly," I replied, a playful tone in my voice. "You can call me Y/N, no need for formalities."

"Yes, my... Y/N," she said, smiling warmly as she exited the room, leaving me alone to reflect in the stillness.

With the door now shut, I took a deep breath, letting the tension slip away, if only for a moment. The sun was high, casting light on the bathroom through the tinted windows. I made my way toward the tub, dipping one hand into the water, testing its warmth. It was perfect—comfortable, soothing. I moved slowly, a hand covering my chest as I lowered myself into the tub, feeling the heat of the water seep into my muscles. The tension of the day began to melt away as I relaxed, even if just slightly.

Once I was comfortable, I removed the last of my garments—the skirt, the thigh halter with the hidden blade—placing them carefully beside the tub.The warm water eased the tension in my muscles, and I began to relax, letting the day’s stress melt away. But just as I was about to truly unwind, the door slammed open with force.

And here he comes, I thought, my eyes flicking to the entrance.

Ichiji stormed in, his boots making a heavy sound against the floor as he quickly locked the door behind him. His eyes were dark, narrowed, and something unreadable flickered in them, his posture rigid and controlled. The air between us thickened immediately.

"Finally decided to join me, tiger?" I teased, shifting slightly in the tub to move closer to the bubbles that covered my body. I gave him a playful smile, my voice light and confident, as if this was nothing more than a casual exchange.

Ichiji didn’t respond right away. His eyes scanned me—no doubt taking in the sight of my exposed form, though I made sure the bubbles hid enough to keep him on edge. But even as I moved closer, the tension between us was palpable. His jaw clenched, his body taut with something dangerous.

"The water’s nice and warm…" I said, my voice deliberately slow and teasing, watching his every move as he stood there, unmoving. I could feel his gaze lingering on me, burning through the air between us.

His lips parted for a brief moment, a flicker of frustration crossing his features, but it was quickly replaced by a hardened resolve. He stepped closer, the energy shifting with every step, as if he were trying to tame the storm inside himself. The possessiveness was there—raw, intense—but so was something darker, something like control slipping away.

"Do you think you can get away with this?" Ichiji growled, his voice low and laced with both warning and desire. His eyes narrowed, still glaring at me like a predator stalking its prey. "You think you can tease me, make me wait while you’re in here, like some prize I can’t have?"

I smirked, leaning back into the warmth of the water. "I’m just enjoying myself, Ichiji," I said, making sure my tone sounded innocent, even though my body was clearly pushing all his buttons. "Isn’t that what you wanted me to do? Be good for you?" I moved my hand under the water, letting the bubbles swirl around it in a slow motion.

"Stop playing games with me, Y/N," he snapped, stepping forward so that his body was just inches from the edge of the tub. His fingers flexed at his sides, the air thick with his possessiveness. "You know I could take you right here. But you want to play this little game, don’t you? Keep me hanging on, testing my patience."

I moaned softly, closing my eyes as I let his words settle in my mind. "I just had a vision of how that would look, tiger," I whispered, as I let the image linger in the air. A low hum escaped Ichiji’s lips as I moved toward the middle of the tub, my fingers trailing through the water and stirring up small waves that rippled outward. I leaned back, resting my head on the edge of the tub, allowing my eyes to close as I painted the image with my words, letting the scene unfold in both our minds.

“Picture this,” I murmured, voice thick with a tempting softness, “you in here with me… the water splashing, the sound filling the room… echoes of breaths, teasing touches that linger just long enough to make you wonder what’s coming next…”

The tension in the room grew heavier, almost tangible. I could hear the slight hitch in his breathing, the way his gaze darkened as he watched me, captivated by the picture I was painting. His usual icy control was starting to melt away under the heat of my words.

“Just imagine,” I whispered, my voice barely above a murmur, “your hands on me, tracing over every curve… the water amplifying every movement, every touch…”

Ichiji's eyes glinted with a dangerous fire as he took a step closer to the tub, drawn in by the vivid scene I was crafting. His lips twisted into a smirk, but I could tell he was affected, his calm composure slipping just a little. "Ichiji, I’m bored. Come play with me."

My voice was laced with an innocent tease, but I knew it was pushing him farther. I could feel his eyes burning into me, his restraint slipping by the second.

"In fact..." I said, the challenge clear in my voice, as I slowly stood up from the water, letting it cascade off my body in a slow, sensual flow. "I’ll start."

I began to unbutton his shirt, my fingers grazing his chest with a teasing slowness, keeping my gaze locked on his, savoring every moment. But before I could reach the final button, Ichiji’s hand shot out, grabbing my wrist with a firm, almost bruising grip, stopping me in my tracks.

His eyes were dark with a dangerous intensity, his breath ragged as he looked down at me. His body was so close now I could feel the heat radiating off him. "You don’t get to make the rules here, Y/N," he growled low, his voice heavy with possessiveness and frustration. His grip on my wrist tightened slightly, sending a wave of heat through me.

"Not this time." His voice was almost a warning now. His eyes searched mine, weighing his next move carefully. "You want to keep playing? Then play by my rules."

The intensity in Ichiji's eyes made my breath catch in my throat. His hand held my wrist with such authority, as if he were marking me, staking his claim. His lips were just inches from my ear as he leaned in closer, his voice low and rough, sending shivers down my spine.

"You're testing me, Y/N," he murmured, his grip tightening ever so slightly, just enough to make sure I felt every inch of his control. "And I don’t like being tested."

I raised my eyes to meet his, a smirk playing at the corner of my lips. "I didn’t think you’d be so easily distracted, Ichiji," I teased, pushing against his grip just enough to remind him that, for a moment, I still held some power here.

But Ichiji wasn’t about to let me get away with it. With a swift movement, he pulled me forward, his other hand gripping my chin to force me to look up at him. His expression was dark, unreadable, yet there was an undeniable hunger in his eyes. "You don’t get to play this game, Y/N. Not when you’re the one who’s always pushing my buttons."

He let go of my wrist, but only to bring his hand to my cheek, gently caressing the skin with his thumb before his fingers trailed down to my neck, applying the faintest pressure as if to remind me of the power he wielded over me. My heart raced, and I could feel my body betraying me, reacting to his every move despite my attempts to maintain control. His grip on my neck tightened just enough to send a surge of heat rushing through me, making my breath catch. "You’ll find out soon enough." His lips hovered above mine, teasing me with the proximity, yet pulling away just as quickly, leaving me hanging. 

I leaned in slightly, my lips brushing his, but he was quicker, capturing my mouth in a heated kiss. It was raw, desperate, with a need that mirrored my own, but even in the intensity of the kiss, I could feel the underlying control he had over me, his every move reminding me who was really in charge.

The water rippled as I sank back deeper into the marble tub, the remnants of our kiss still lingering on my lips, leaving me breathless. The air between us crackled with an electric tension, and Ichiji’s smirk only fueled the heat building inside me.

His gaze was dark and calculated as he crouched beside the tub, his eyes never leaving mine. Slowly, he rolled up his sleeve, his arm muscles flexing with the movement as he tested the temperature of the water, but it was clear he wasn’t focused on the bath at all. The subtle shift of his body, the way his gaze flickered to my exposed skin, told me everything I needed to know.

“I won’t join you for a bath,” he said, his voice low and controlled, laced with something dangerously possessive. “There will be a time for that after. But I will, however, wait for you in my bed, while you finish getting changed, so we may eat breakfast.”

I couldn’t help but feel a surge of both frustration and excitement. His words were deliberate, a clear reminder that while I was playing my game, he had already set the rules for the next round.

Before I could respond, Ichiji’s fingers brushed lightly against my thigh beneath the water. The touch was teasing, a mere graze of his hand, but it sent a shock of heat straight to my core. I couldn’t move—couldn’t tear my eyes away from his—each second stretching on as if the world had stopped, leaving just the two of us, locked in this power struggle.

“You like that, don’t you?” Ichiji murmured, his voice taking on a more dangerous edge. His hand lingered, his fingers lightly tracing the outline of my thigh, making it impossible to ignore the effect he was having on me.

I swallowed hard, my body betraying me even as I tried to maintain my composure. “You’re bold,” I said, forcing the words out through clenched teeth, even as my breath hitched at his touch.

He leaned closer, his face now mere inches from mine, his lips brushing my ear as he whispered, “You haven’t seen bold yet.”

I inhaled sharply, his words sending a shiver down my spine. I knew exactly what he meant, and the thought of it made my pulse race.

“Enjoy your bath,” Ichiji continued, pulling away slowly, his hand reluctantly leaving my thigh. “I’ll be waiting.”

As he turned to leave, I could feel the weight of his presence still pressing down on me, a lingering reminder that no matter how much I tried to push his buttons, Ichiji was always one step ahead, controlling every move I made.

I watched him walk toward the door, my body still aching for more, the room feeling colder without him so close. The tension, thick and palpable, was only just beginning, and I knew there was no going back from this game we were playing.

With a final glance over his shoulder, Ichiji smirked, “Don’t take too long, Y/N.”

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving me alone in the bath, the quiet sound of the water lapping against the sides of the tub the only noise. I leaned back, sinking deeper into the water, the heat from earlier still lingering in my body. My mind was racing—what had just happened? I had tested him, but I knew I was in dangerous territory now.

I couldn’t help but scream into the water, frustration and heat building inside me. "Bastard really knows his stuff," I muttered, a mix of irritation and admiration in my voice. He had me tangled up in his games, and I was beginning to wonder if I was going to lose this round.

Stepping out of the tub, I wrapped myself in a towel, feeling the sharp chill of the air on my skin—a striking contrast to the warmth that lingered from the bath. The room felt different now, quieter somehow, as if absorbing the echoes of what had just happened. I let the water drain, the sound filling the silence and grounding me.

I caught sight of myself in the mirror, and my attention fell on the faint marks from recent battles. The injuries from my sparring session with Judge had nearly vanished, and I couldn't help but marvel. My left thigh, which had taken a harsh hit, was smooth again, and the bruise along my side had faded completely. The scrape on my right hand, my last reminder of a skirmish with one of Big Mom’s children to retrieve my weapon, had also disappeared.

"Reiju’s work, no doubt," I mused to myself, impressed by her medical skills. Whatever she’d used had sped up my recovery dramatically. It was strange to see myself so healed, but I could already feel my strength returning—a welcome relief.  I took a deep breath, trying to gather myself before I stepped out of the bathroom.

I opened the door, stepping into the room, only to see Ichiji lying casually on the bed, his arms crossed behind his head, a smirk already plastered across his face.

"How was the bath?" he teased, his eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and something darker.

I flicked him off, not bothering to hide the playfulness in my actions. "You’re unbelievable," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm, though the tension between us was far from gone.

Ichiji just laughed, a sound that felt like a challenge. "You’re one to talk," he replied, his smirk widening as he sat up on the bed, clearly enjoying this little back-and-forth. "But we both know you’re not really mad at me."

I didn’t respond right away, simply letting the silence hang in the air as I slowly made my way over to the dresser to find something to wear. The game was far from over, and now, more than ever, I couldn’t wait for what would come next. I moved towards the closet, my fingers lightly grazing over the fabric of the outfits hanging neatly inside.

Ichiji’s eyes never left me as I sorted through the clothes, his smirk still evident on his face. I could feel his gaze, heavy and possessive, following every movement I made. It was both infuriating and thrilling, knowing that he was waiting for me to make my next move, knowing that I had a certain power over him now, but still unsure of what he might do next.

As I flicked through the outfits, I could feel a heat rise within me again. Every choice I picked up felt like part of a new round in our game. I was testing boundaries, pushing buttons, seeing how far I could go before one of us cracked. And right now, it seemed like we were both dancing along that thin line.

Finally, I picked out an outfit—a tight, short, dark red dress that hugged my figure in all the right places. I didn’t give him any indication of how I was feeling. Instead, I just turned towards him, my eyes meeting his as I slipped the dress from the hanger.

“You’ve been watching me long enough, Ichiji,” I said, my tone just as teasing as his had been. “Don’t you have anything to say? Or are you just going to stare?”

Ichiji’s lips curled into a grin, the air around us charged with anticipation. "You know," he said, his voice low, "I don’t think I’ve had enough of this little game yet."

I smirked in response, knowing he was just as drawn to this as I was. The tension between us was palpable, and neither of us was willing to back down. I grabbed my heels and secured my thigh halter and hidden blade onto my right thigh, then swept my hair into a messy bun, leaving a few pieces out to frame my face.

Just then, the door flew open, and in strutted the maid from before, acting as if she owned the place. “Ichi!” she whined, her voice dripping with familiarity. I raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Ichiji, who still lounged on the bed with his arms behind his head. "Yeah, they definitely slept together," I thought, moving toward the large mirror Ichiji had positioned across from his bed.

"When are you coming?” she whined, her gaze fixed on him, seemingly oblivious to my presence. Ichiji only smirked, not moving an inch.

I turned to face her, crossing my arms. “You are quite audacious to barge into shared quarters that belong to my fiancé and me,” I said, my tone icy. I took a step closer, making sure she understood the message. “Now answer me this: why did you just barge right in?”

She gave a smug smirk, unphased. “Ichiji asked me to come...” She leaned in, eyes narrowing. “If you ask me, my lady, it seems you’re not satisfying him enough.” Her gaze flicked over me dismissively, clearly trying to provoke a reaction.

I glanced back at Ichiji, who was watching this unfold with a faint smirk. I narrowed my eyes, but decided to keep my composure. “I will deal with my fiancé later,” I replied, not sparing him another glance. I let a knowing smile slip as I turned back to her. “And as for satisfying him…” I said, running my gaze over Ichiji. “He’s all yours.”

Ichiji’s expression faltered slightly as he took his hands down from behind his head, his smirk disappearing. “You’re really going to just leave like that?” he challenged, his tone almost demanding.

“Enjoy your company,” I replied coolly, brushing past the maid as I made my way to the door. I swayed my hips, knowing Ichiji’s eyes would be fixed on me, my red dress moving with calculated seduction.

The moment I stepped out, I saw Anne walking by. “Anne,” I smiled, “I’m ready for some breakfast.”

“Yes, Y/N. Our head chef prepares an excellent meal,” she replied, returning my smile.

“Wonderful. I would love to have a bite.” I said, linking arms with her as we started down the hallway.

Just then, I heard Ichiji’s frustrated voice from within the room. “Y/N!” His tone was sharp, as if not expecting me to brush him off so easily.

I couldn’t help but smile, keeping my head held high as I ignored his call. The game wasn’t over, and I’d made my next move.

Anne led me to a grand dining hall with ornate décor, high ceilings, and an air of strict order. “Here we are, Y/N. Your meal will be brought out by our head chef.”

“Thank you, Anne. So this is where Germa dines?” I asked, taking in the layout. There was a large throne in one corner and several numbered seats around the table.

“Yes, ma’am,” Anne replied. “The numbers represent each of Master Judge’s children.”

I scanned the seats, each one meticulously positioned, the order so precise it felt stifling. “Well, I’ll be sure to sit far away from one,” I said with a sly smile, which earned a small chuckle from Anne. She gave a polite nod. "Your meal will be right out," she said, before turning and heading to the kitchen.

As I made my way to the table, the air in the room felt almost chilling, a rigid, imposing atmosphere that screamed of Judge’s ironclad rule. Every corner of the room was adorned with Germa 66 emblems, as if the family’s legacy was something one could never escape from. Even the polished marble floor, reflective and cold, seemed to reinforce that this place wasn’t designed for comfort or warmth. It was built for power, for status—like Judge himself.

I let my fingers drift over the table's surface as I walked, tracing patterns in the smooth, dark wood before taking my seat in the number 3 chair. Sitting there, I felt the weight of the room’s history bearing down on me. It was the same chair Ichiji would sit in, which seemed to carry an air of restrained violence, just like him. Even in his absence, I could feel his presence here—the domineering energy he wielded, the cool command that seemed ingrained in everything Germa.

Suddenly, the door swung open with a sharp creak, and in he strode, his expression dark and thunderous. Ichiji’s eyes landed on me immediately, a glint of barely-restrained anger simmering beneath his gaze. He crossed the room with quick, purposeful steps, each one landing heavily on the marble floor.

“You really thought it was a good idea to just walk out?” he demanded, his voice low but tense, as if each word was laced with the bite he was holding back. He barely glanced at the maid who’d followed him, looking flustered and red-faced as she tried to keep up with his stride.

I leaned back in my seat, meeting his glare with a slight smirk. “Didn’t realize I needed permission, tiger,” I replied coolly, emphasizing the nickname just to see the reaction flicker in his eyes. "Besides, it seemed you were otherwise... preoccupied."

His jaw tightened, his hands flexing at his sides as if he was barely resisting the urge to do something about my tone. “You left me in there with her on purpose, didn’t you?” he growled, his gaze narrowing as he took another step toward me, ignoring the maid entirely now.

I shrugged, letting the silence hang between us for a moment before answering, “Can’t help it if I got bored.” I flicked a glance over at the maid, who was practically vibrating with suppressed anger as she stood a few paces behind him, her expression a blend of shock and frustration.

Suddenly, Anne walked in, followed by the head chef. “Y/N, this is Cossette,” Anne introduced as Cossette bowed low. “It’s an honor to meet you, Princess,” she said, her voice respectful.

I gently grabbed her head and raised her gaze, smiling softly. “Please don’t bow. Like I told the handmaids when I arrived, my fiancé’s rules are his, but mine are mine,” I said, my tone warm but firm. “I don’t want anyone bowing to me. Skip the formalities.”

Cossette’s eyes softened, and I could see a glimmer of appreciation in her expression. “Of course, Princess,” she said, her voice slightly warmer now.

“So, I heard your breakfasts are the best,” I continued, a playful grin tugging at my lips. “I can’t wait to try it.”

Before Cossette could respond, Ichiji’s voice cut through the air from behind me. “Cossette, don’t forget my plate either,” he said, his voice smooth but commanding.

Cossette nodded feverishly. “Of course, Master Ichiji. Princess, your meals will be here soon,” she said, bowing again, but I raised a hand.

“What did I say about bowing?” I reminded her, my tone light but carrying a touch of authority. “Please, take your time. Once breakfast is done, I’ll be heading back to prepare for my wedding tomorrow. So, a little extra strength will be needed,” I teased, winking at her. Cossette smiled in response, clearly warming to my manner.

“Keep that smile,” I added, watching as Cossette’s face lit up even more. She and Anne left the room quietly, closing the door behind them.

Turning back to Ichiji, I caught sight of his expression—arms crossed, a subtle scowl creasing his brows, his gaze fixed on me with a mixture of curiosity and something darker. Ignoring his silent scrutiny for the moment, I shifted my attention to the other maid, the one from earlier.

“You are excused,” I said coolly, expecting her to finally leave.

“As if I would listen to you…” she muttered defiantly, casting me a challenging glare.

Before I could respond, Ichiji’s voice cut through the tension. “You do as you’re told. Leave, now,” he commanded, his tone cold and final. The maid faltered under his gaze, then quickly turned and scurried out, the door shutting behind her. With a quiet laugh, I returned to the table, slipping gracefully into the number 3 chair. The weight of the room’s rigid formality seemed to settle back around us, but I allowed myself a moment of ease, running a finger idly along the polished wood of the table. 

Ichiji’s eyes followed my every movement as I returned to my seat, his expression simmering with a possessive intensity. He strode over to the chair labeled "1," sitting down across from me. Though the distance between us was only a few feet, it might as well have been miles for the way he regarded me, his frustration barely masked by his usually stoic facade.

His jaw was tight, and his gaze bore into me, a storm of anger and longing swirling behind his eyes. It was clear he hated the gap between us, the formality of the space, as if every inch of distance chipped away at the control he fought to maintain. "Tiger, you mentioned you could take me right here, when we were in the bathroom, have you ever thought about taking me here on this table." I smirked, "Why dont I make it easier for you." I said as I stood up, A flicker of raw intensity passed over Ichiji’s face as I approached, his gaze darkening with each step I took. The smirk I wore only seemed to fuel the frustration in his eyes, that possessive glint growing sharper. I let my fingers trail along the polished wood as I moved, savoring each small reaction from him until I stood behind his chair. Gently, I placed my hands on his shoulders, massaging the tension out of his muscles. He stiffened at first but gradually softened under my touch, his head tilting slightly as he closed his eyes, caught in the sensations I was creating.

“You’re so tense,” I murmured, my tone playful and laced with challenge. My fingers kneaded into his shoulders, coaxing the last of his restraint to the surface.

Without warning, Ichiji’s hand shot up, grasping my wrist tightly as he pulled me around to face him, his gaze burning with an unfiltered, dangerous edge. His voice was low, almost a growl, as he spoke, his composure hanging by a thread.

“You think I’m tense?” he challenged, his grip firm as he pulled me closer, his eyes blazing into mine. “You don’t understand, do you? The only thing keeping me from taking what I want right here and now is your damn teasing.” His hand slid down, capturing my waist and drawing me onto his lap, his control slipping just enough for his true desire to flash in his eyes.

With a sly smile, I leaned back, letting my lower back press into the edge of the table as Ichiji's breathing grew heavier, his eyes dark with barely restrained desire. "I just think you seem a bit on edge," I teased, settling onto the table’s edge and letting my legs part slightly, just enough to draw his attention. I placed my hands between them, my fingers tracing slow, languid circles on the wood.

I saw his gaze flicker between my movements and my face, his composure visibly fraying. With a light tug, I grabbed his loosened tie, pulling him down until his face was inches from mine. His breath came in warm waves against my skin as I spoke, each word laced with intent. "I want to hear all the fantasies that are running through my soon-to-be husband’s mind," I murmured, my tone playful yet daring. I released his tie, letting him stand there as I slipped off the table, walking back to my chair with a deliberate sway in my step, fully aware of his eyes following me.

But he didn’t let the space stay between us for long. In a flash, he closed the distance, his hands finding the back of my chair as he leaned over me, his voice low and dangerous. “You want to know what I’ve been thinking?” he rasped, his gaze searing. "I've been imagining what it would feel like to break down every last bit of that defiance… right here. To see you without those teasing little games, giving in to me completely."

His fingers brushed against my jaw, tilting my face up to meet his as he continued, his voice heavy with raw confession. “I’ve thought about you in my arms, pinned under my weight, your voice breaking as you finally stop pushing and just let go. I want to see you let me take control, to feel you against me, watching you come undone.” His breath was hot, his restraint hanging by a thread.

"And as for this table," he continued, his voice even lower now, his hand trailing down to graze my thigh. “I've thought about clearing everything off of it, pulling you onto it, and making you mine right here, without the faintest care about who could walk in. Just you and me, exactly as we should be.” His hand pressed into my thigh, his gaze intense. 

Just as I was about to speak, a knock on the door interrupted the moment. “It’s me, Cossette. I have your meals,” she called softly from the other side.

I cleared my throat, straightening up and pulling my composure back into place. “Come in!” I called out, my voice slightly firmer than before.

Cossette stepped inside, accompanied by a few sous-chefs, each carrying an array of beautifully plated dishes. The scent that hit my senses was enough to make my stomach growl with anticipation.

“I didn’t know what you would like, so I made a bit of everything,” Cossette explained, her voice soft as she glanced nervously down at the floor.

I smiled warmly at her, gesturing to the spread. “Cossette, you shouldn’t have,” I said, my tone appreciative, but playful.

The table was soon laden with a lavish assortment of dishes, each more decadent than the last. There were delicate croissants, freshly baked and golden brown, their buttery scent filling the room. Plump, juicy berries—strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries—arranged artfully alongside a bowl of whipped cream for dipping. There were perfectly scrambled eggs, a side of crispy bacon, and tender sausage links, all laid out to perfection. The pièce de résistance was a beautifully cooked salmon fillet, flaky and tender, with a side of creamy hollandaise sauce. A selection of assorted cheeses, olives, and a fresh baguette completed the spread, and on the far side of the table was a large, sparkling bottle of champagne and crystal flutes, ready to be poured.

“Everything looks wonderful, Cossette,” I said, glancing over the spread and nodding in approval. My eyes lingered on the champagne. “And the champagne, a perfect touch.”

Cossette smiled shyly, still avoiding my gaze. “I’m glad you like it, Princess. I hope it’s to your liking.”

Ichiji, who had been watching silently, finally spoke up, his voice laced with a hint of approval, but his eyes never left me. “Looks like you’ve done well, Cossette. I’ll take some of that salmon.”

Cossette nodded quickly, her hands trembling slightly as she began to arrange the food in front of us. “Of course, Master Ichiji. I’ll make sure everything is to your satisfaction.”

As the sous-chefs stepped back, leaving us to our meal, I felt a brief moment of satisfaction settle over me. The atmosphere in the room was still thick with tension, but the food—luxurious and perfectly prepared—offered a temporary distraction.

Once Cossette had prepared my plate, I grabbed the champagne flute and the bottle, popping it open with a satisfying pop, the fizzy liquid spraying onto my chest. I let out a laugh, my eyes twinkling. "Oh no, Princess... I'm so sorry," Cossette stammered, her face flushed.

I waved her off, still laughing, "It's alright." As I grabbed a napkin to dab at the champagne on my chest, I let out another chuckle. Cossette, looking relieved, poured champagne into my flute. I then grabbed the orange juice, adding a splash to the bubbly drink, watching the two liquids swirl together.

“Well, that's what I call a fine good mimosas," I joked with a playful smirk, lifting the glass to admire my creation. Cossette smiled, a little more relaxed now.

I took a sip, the fizzy sweetness dancing on my tongue, and immediately took a bite of the breakfast in front of me. I closed my eyes in delight, unable to contain the satisfaction. "Cossette, this is exquisite!" I exclaimed, taking another bite. "You’ve outdone yourself."

Cossette seemed to blush at my praise, her eyes wide in disbelief. "Do you mean it?" she hesitated, as if unsure whether my words were genuine.

"Of course!" I nodded emphatically. "It’s truly incredible."

Ichiji, who had been silent, finally spoke up, his tone flat but carrying an unmistakable edge. "Don't get too soft, Princess," he said, his voice cutting through the pleasant moment. "This is no time for compliments and praise."

I could feel the tension rise once again, but I didn't let it deter me. "In fact..." I said, a mischievous grin creeping across my face as I stood up from the table, plate in hand. "I’ll make sure you enjoy it too."

Ichiji looked up sharply, eyes narrowing as I made my way around the table, carefully selecting a perfectly cooked piece of the salmon. I leaned over and fed it to him, my eyes locked onto his with a challenge in my gaze. "Here, try some," I said softly, the words almost playful but edged with something deeper.

Ichiji paused, staring at the piece of food in my hand for a moment before taking it into his mouth. His eyes never left mine as he chewed thoughtfully. After a moment, he spoke, his voice low, almost reluctant. "It’s good. Better than I expected."

I couldn't help but smile, savoring the rare moment of him lowering his guard, even if just a little. "See? There’s more where that came from," I teased, sitting back down in my seat, ready to continue the meal. The tension remained, but for now, it was a little easier to ignore. After a few minutes, I finished my breakfast, savoring the last bite, while Ichiji, after allowing me to feed him a few bites, also finished his meal. The mimosa's light fizz was starting to kick in, a gentle warmth spreading through me.

Ichiji’s gaze flickered over me briefly, but the words that followed were as firm as ever. "We’re done here," he said as he stood up, extending his hand for me to take. His hand was firm, his fingers brushing mine with a possessive intent.

I raised an eyebrow, glancing up at him with playful defiance. "Where are we going?" I asked, my voice smooth, curiosity mixed with a hint of teasing.

"Back to our shared suite, for you to change," he replied with that authoritative tone that only seemed to make my heart race faster. Before I could respond, his grip tightened, pulling me up from my seat.

"But I wasn’t finished with my mimosas!" I protested with a pout, making grabby hands at the half-full glass, unwilling to leave it behind.

Ichiji didn't even flinch at my theatrics. With a smirk, he stepped closer, bending down with surprising speed and lifting me over his shoulder in one swift motion. My breath caught as I found myself dangling in his arms, my legs swaying in the air.

"Not today," he murmured, his voice low and almost dangerously calm. "You’ve had enough for now."

I huffed, trying to wriggle free, but his hold was firm. "Ichiji, put me down! You can’t just take my drink!"

But the amusement in his tone only deepened as he walked toward the door, ignoring my protest. "You can drink all you want later. Right now, we have more important things to attend to."

His steps were confident, echoing in the silent room as I continued to hang over his shoulder, barely able to do anything but let him carry me as he pleased. My heart was still racing, but it wasn’t from the alcohol anymore. It was something else entirely. Something much more complicated.

"You're impossible," I muttered, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks.

Ichiji’s laugh was low and mocking as he turned to head down the hallway, unbothered by the struggles I put up. "You’ll get used to it." I grumbled under my breath, unable to help the smile that tugged at my lips despite my protest. "You're really something, you know that?"

Finally, after what felt like a small eternity of me hanging there like a ragdoll in his arms, we made it to the shared suite. Without hesitation, Ichiji kicked the door open with a swift motion, his expression unreadable as he effortlessly navigated through the doorway.

"What did the door ever do to you?" I remarked dryly, raising an eyebrow at his sudden display of force. My voice was teasing, but there was a touch of genuine amusement there.

Ichiji didn’t even spare me a glance as he slammed the door shut behind him, the sound sharp in the otherwise silent room. Without missing a beat, he locked it, his gaze darkening as his attention shifted back to me. He didn’t give me a chance to react before he dropped me onto the bed, the soft sheets swallowing me up in an unexpected tumble.

I let out a small giggle, the playful feeling of being tossed around catching me off guard. "That was fun," I said, breathless but clearly enjoying the chaos he’d stirred up. My heart was still pounding, but now it was because of the raw energy that hung between us, the tension that neither of us seemed willing to address.

Ichiji stood over me for a moment, his eyes scanning me with a certain intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. He didn’t speak, but the unspoken words were clear in the way he looked at me—dangerous, possessive, and yet… something else.

I pushed myself up onto my elbows, my grin widening despite the heat that was building up in the room. "What now, Ichiji?" I asked, my voice daring, though a hint of uncertainty lingered beneath the surface. "Are you going to keep me here all day?"

The air between us thickened, and I could see him fighting with his own restraint, though whether it was for me or for himself, I couldn’t say.

Ichiji's eyes softened for a moment, but the intensity quickly returned. He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming in the quiet room. "You’re not going anywhere until you’ve learned your first lesson," he said, his voice low but commanding. His words sent a shiver down my spine, anticipation curling in my stomach.

I raised an eyebrow, trying to act unfazed despite the heat simmering beneath my skin. "Lesson? What kind of lesson?" I asked, half teasing, half intrigued.

Ichiji’s lips curled into a smirk as he stood directly over me, his hand reaching down to brush a strand of hair from my face. The warmth of his fingers lingering against my skin sent a jolt of electricity through me, and I instinctively leaned into the touch. "A lesson on control, princess," he said, his voice barely above a whisper as he looked down at me. His gaze was unwavering, his lips parting as if he were savoring the moment.

Without another word, Ichiji grabbed my hand, his grip firm and possessive as he pulled me to my feet. The room seemed to shrink around us, the air thick with tension. "Dinner," he said, his tone brokering no argument. "Back at the Château."

I couldn’t help but smirk, my playful side coming to the forefront despite the charged atmosphere. "Wow, two meals in one day? You sure know how to show a girl a good time," I said, letting out a light laugh. The sound of it filled the room, a welcome break from the intensity that had been building between us.

Ichiji’s eyes darkened for a split second, the flicker of something dangerous flashing before he masked it again with that signature smirk of his. "You’ll get used to it," he said, his grip on my hand tightening just a little as he guided me towards the door.

As we walked down the stairs, Ichiji and I were met with the familiar bustling of the château. Anne and Cosette waved us off, their faces bright with friendly smiles, but my attention was soon pulled back to Ichiji as he guided me through the hall, the sounds of our footsteps echoing in the otherwise quiet space.

"By ladies, take care!" I called out with a smile, waving goodbye as we exited the suite. Ichiji, ever composed, didn’t waste a second in turning his attention back to me, guiding me toward the grand door. The sunlight greeted us like an old friend, casting its warm rays over the castle grounds. The day was still bright, and I couldn’t help but think it must have been somewhere near the afternoon.

We stepped outside, the warmth of the sun on our faces, but before I could fully take in the fresh air, a loud cheer broke through the air. "Look, it’s Master Ichiji and his fiancée, seems well!" a soldier yelled, his voice carrying through the air. Suddenly, whistles and cheers erupted from the nearby soldiers, their admiration and energy clear as they looked upon us. I felt a flush rise to my cheeks, but Ichiji’s expression remained calm, his smirk still ever-present as he turned to face the soldiers.

Without a second thought, he cupped my chin and pulled me in for a soft, deliberate kiss on my forehead. The soldiers around us gasped, and the sound of "Awww!" rang through the crowd. It was like they’d seen a moment of something precious, something only a select few could witness.

"She is so good to him," a soldier said, wiping away a tear. His voice had a deep, almost reverent tone to it. It was a little overwhelming, but at the same time, it felt... strange to be in the center of all of this attention. It was like a strange dance that Ichiji and I had been pulled into.

"Long live Master Ichiji and his bride!" another soldier shouted in the distance, raising his hand in a salute.

The chorus of voices continued, growing louder with each passing second.

"Master Ichiji, how much do you love your bride?" another soldier called out, his voice filled with genuine curiosity. At that, a shower of rose petals suddenly began to fall from above, as if summoned by the sheer energy in the air. The petals fluttered around us, floating like a soft, colorful storm as the soldiers cheered even louder.

Ichiji’s arm tightened around me for a moment, drawing me closer to his side. His smirk was still in place, but I could see a flicker of something deeper in his eyes—pride, perhaps, or maybe something darker. His voice was steady, but there was an underlying intensity that made my heart race. "As much as anyone could, and more," he answered coolly, his words causing a stir among the soldiers, who cheered even more fervently at his declaration.

As the calicoat rolled smoothly along the pathway, the rhythmic motion seemed to make everything around me blur just a little. I turned my gaze toward the scenery, trying to force my mind to focus, but my thoughts kept drifting back to the heated moments between Ichiji and me.

Ichiji, who had been unusually quiet, leaned back against the seat, his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on me. "You're distracted," he said, his voice smooth, yet there was a hint of amusement in it. "What’s on your mind?" He tilted his head slightly, his piercing eyes studying me with an intensity that almost made it harder to think straight.

I hesitated for a moment before letting out a breath, trying to regain some composure. "I... just need to focus," I muttered, though my words didn't quite align with the tension I could feel in the air.

Ichiji chuckled softly, a quiet, almost predatory sound. "You’ve been distracted all day, Y/N. Is it that hard to focus, or is there something more?" His voice dropped to a near whisper, the weight of his question hanging heavily between us.

I bit my lip, trying to regain my thoughts. But somehow, the pressure of his gaze only seemed to pull me further into distraction. "It’s nothing," I said quickly, but my heart was racing, the air between us charged with a palpable energy. Ichiji’s smirk deepened as he moved closer, his gaze never leaving mine. There was something in his eyes—an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. "It’s never nothing with you, Y/N," he said, his voice lower now, almost a whisper against the soft hum of the calicoat. He leaned in, and before I could respond, his lips brushed against my neck, the sensation sending an electric jolt through me. My breath caught in my throat as I involuntarily closed my eyes.

"I’ve been trying to focus too," he confessed softly, his lips still grazing my skin. "But it's hard to concentrate when every part of me wants you. I can’t deny it anymore." His voice was thick with longing, his hand reaching up to rest gently on my side, his fingers lightly tracing the curve of my waist.

I couldn’t find the words to reply as the warmth of his kiss spread through me, leaving me both stunned and breathless. 

Ichiji’s lips brushed against my collarbone, his kiss lingering there for a moment before he pulled back slightly, his breath warm against my skin. The soft strands of his hair brushed against my neck, tickling me and making me giggle involuntarily. The sound seemed to amuse him, and a small, satisfied smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"You're laughing now, but just wait," he murmured, his voice low and teasing as his hand gently cupped my cheek. "I’m not done yet." Ichiji's hands gripped my waist, pulling me closer as the calicoat continued its steady movement. For a moment, everything else faded—just the warmth of his body against mine and the heat of his lips consumed me. I took the lead, my fingers trailing over his jaw, deepening the kiss as I felt him stiffen for a second before he regained his composure. His grip tightened on me, pulling me further into his lap.

He broke away with a harsh exhale, his forehead resting against mine as he tried to steady his breath. “Fuck, princess,” he muttered under his breath, his hands running through my hair as if he was trying to ground himself.

I couldn’t resist, my lips finding his cheek, brushing softly against his skin as I kissed his jaw, his neck, and back to his lips. Each kiss was an unspoken confession, each touch a promise that we were both too caught up to deny.

His breath hitched as I kissed his face, his hands gripping me tighter as if trying to contain the growing storm between us. The tension was unbearable, but neither of us pulled away. Instead, we clung to each other, the intensity of the moment echoing between the soft thrum of the calicoat’s ride and the rhythm of our hearts racing in unison.

Just then, the calicoat halted abruptly, throwing both of us off balance. I gasped as we fell forward, landing with a soft thud on the cushioned seat. Ichiji caught me instinctively, his arms wrapping around me as I tumbled on top of him, both of us momentarily stunned by the sudden stop.

For a second, there was a brief silence, before the heat of the moment returned. I found myself pressed against him, our faces only inches apart. His chest heaved beneath me, the rush of our earlier closeness still lingering in the air. I couldn’t help but smile slightly, the situation adding an unexpected thrill to everything that had just happened.

Ichiji’s lips curled into a smirk, though there was a certain sharpness to his eyes. "Clumsy, aren't we?" he teased, his voice low and filled with that familiar possessiveness.

I couldn’t help but laugh softly, feeling the playful tension between us once again. “Maybe just a little,” I replied, feeling my heart still racing as his hands gently slid down to my waist, the touch sending a wave of heat through me.

He leaned up slightly, brushing his lips over mine, a soft, lingering kiss that made everything feel even more electric. "This isn’t over," he murmured, his breath warm against my lips. "We’re just getting started."

Before I could respond, the voice of a soldier broke through the moment. "Master Ichiji, we have arrived."

Ichiji’s grip tightened around my hips for a split second, and then with a small, frustrated sigh, he pulled away, but not without giving me one last heated glance. He stood up, straightening himself, before opening the door and extending his hand to me. "Come on," he said, his voice low, still tinged with the intensity of the moment. "Let me drop you off at your room."

I took his hand, allowing him to guide me out of the calicoat. As we made our way toward the entrance, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of anticipation and nervousness, the air still thick with everything that had just passed between us. We walked side by side, the ground beneath our feet seeming to echo our unspoken tension.

Once we reached my room, Ichiji paused at the door, turning to me with a smirk. “I’ll see you at six o'clock, princess,” he said smoothly, starting to turn away.

But before he could leave, something surged within me—a need, an undeniable hunger. I reached out, grabbing his wrist and pulling him back toward me, the suddenness of it catching him off guard.

“Why don’t we get ready in my room?” I enticed, my voice softer now, the desire clear in my words. I could see the spark in his eyes, the way his gaze flickered with hunger as I leaned in, pressing a teasing kiss to his lips.

Ichiji’s breath hitched, his composure cracking just slightly under the weight of the moment. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” he asked, but his voice had a rough edge to it, betraying his own restraint, making it clear how much he wanted to give in.

I nodded, biting my lip as I met his gaze, feeling my heart race. “Bring your clothes, and let’s get ready here,” I whispered, my hand lingering on his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart beneath my palm. The tension between us was palpable, the space around us charged with unspoken promises and a thrill that made my pulse quicken.

Ichiji’s eyes darkened further, and for a moment, it felt as if the world outside faded away, leaving just the two of us suspended in that electrifying moment. But then, with a deep breath that seemed to ground him, he stepped back, breaking the spell. “Alright,” he said, the fire in his gaze unwavering as he turned to head out of the room.

The door clicked shut behind him, and I could hear the sound of his footsteps echoing in the hall, a reminder of the tension that still lingered in the air. I took a moment to collect myself, feeling a rush of excitement and anticipation build within me. This wasn’t just playful banter anymore; it felt like we were on the brink of something far more intense.

I shook my head, trying to make sense of everything. “What the hell are you thinking, Y/N?” I muttered to myself, feeling a mix of exhilaration and confusion swirling within me. Was I really flirting with danger? Did I want to push Ichiji, to challenge him? The thrill of the unknown tugged at me, but there was also a flicker of uncertainty.

I paced the room, my heart racing as I replayed our interaction in my mind. Ichiji's possessive nature was both intoxicating and intimidating. Did I really want to walk that line, to dive deeper into this chaotic dance we were doing? I couldn’t help but wonder how far I could take this, and if he would rise to the challenge or pull back, frustrated by my defiance.

I made my way to the shower, letting the hot water cascade over my body, the warmth sinking into my skin and washing away the tension from the day. As I stood under the stream, my mind wandered back to Luffy, Nami, and the rest of my crew. "Don’t worry, you guys... I’ll find a way to help," I promised in the silence, the heat soothing my muscles as the fruit-scented body wash foamed in my hands. The scent of peaches and berries filled the air as I lathered, scrubbing away the lingering traces of the afternoon.

I washed my hair, massaging the conditioner into every strand, the smooth sensation reminding me to stay grounded, stay focused. I carefully wiped away the makeup from today, the water clearing my skin until I felt like myself again—strong, determined, and unburdened. With one last rinse, I turned off the shower, feeling refreshed as I stepped out and wrapped myself in a soft towel.

As I moved into the room, I noticed a small note left on the table. My curiosity piqued, I picked it up and read it aloud to myself.

"Princess... Let’s meet at dinner instead. I want to make sure everything is perfect for us. —Ichiji"

I smirked, shaking my head. “So, he actually decided against it.”

There was a brief moment of amusement at his decision to keep a little distance—for now, at least. But I knew better than to underestimate him.

With a sense of anticipation, I turned toward the closet, scanning through the various gowns until one dress caught my eye. A stunning long gold gown, its neckline plunging daringly low while hugging my curves with a perfect fit. The back was completely open, the shimmering fabric catching the light as I held it up to my body. Perfect.

I slipped into the dress, feeling the luxurious fabric glide against my skin. The transformation was instant—where I had been casual, now I felt like royalty, the dress emphasizing every dip and curve, accentuating my confidence. I spritzed a light vanilla-scented perfume, the sweet aroma swirling around me as I took one last look in the mirror.

My gaze flickered to the thigh halter tucked discreetly in the drawer. I reached for it, strapping it once more around my thigh, hidden beneath the layers of golden fabric. The small blade tucked inside shimmered with a faint white hue, barely visible, but there—waiting. A quiet promise of the power I carried with me, no matter where I went.

I returned to the bathroom, carefully applying my makeup. A soft touch of blush to highlight my cheeks, a few strokes of mascara to lift my lashes, and bold black eyeliner that framed my eyes with a sharp, sultry edge. I finished with a mauve lipstick, the color deepening my lips into a tempting shade. My hair, left wavy, cascaded effortlessly down my back, complementing the boldness of the dress.

Finally, I stepped into my black strappy heels, their height adding just enough to my presence. I glanced once more in the mirror, feeling the power that surged within me—not just from the dress or the blade, but from the certainty of who I was.

As I opened the door, I noticed a soldier standing outside, stiff and formal, his armor gleaming under the hallway lights. He looked like one of the chess piece soldiers from earlier, his expression unreadable beneath the visor.

“I am to escort you to the dining hall, Princess,” he said, his tone respectful yet robotic.

I gave him a nod, a hint of a smile tugging at my lips. "Lead the way."

With each step, the anticipation built within me, my heart racing as I prepared to face whatever awaited in that dining hall. After a few minutes, a soldier pointed toward the entrance, and I took a sharp left turn.

There stood Ichiji, clad in a tailored black suit that emphasized his broad shoulders and fit physique. A vibrant red tie hung perfectly against the crisp white of his shirt, and he held a bouquet of deep red roses in one hand. His red-tinted shades glimmered in the candlelight, casting a soft glow over his sharp features.

As I stepped into the room, my gold dress shimmered with each movement, the fabric hugging my curves and accentuating my figure. The moment Ichiji spotted me, the roses fell from his grasp, petals scattering like forgotten promises on the polished floor. His mouth hung open, his eyes wide with awe and an unmistakable lust that sent a thrill coursing through me.

“Y/N,” he breathed, the name escaping his lips like a prayer. There was a raw intensity in his gaze, a possessiveness that made my heart flutter with excitement and a hint of nervousness. I took a step closer, my body practically magnetized to his, as I enjoyed the way his expression shifted, filled with a mix of surprise and hunger.

Ichiji then stepped closer, drawing my body to his, and a small gasp escaped my lips. He smirked, his eyes darkening with mischief. “You have no idea what I want to do right now,” he whispered, his warm breath tickling my skin as he kissed my neck, sending waves of heat through me.

“W-Well,” I stammered, trying to keep my composure despite the thrill of his touch. “Maybe we should save that for after dinner, don’t you think?” I offered, my voice teasing but my heart racing.

“Dinner?” Ichiji echoed, pulling back just enough to look into my eyes, his gaze unwavering. “You think I can focus on food when you’re standing there looking like that?”

“Come on, Ichiji! I’m sure the food is delicious, and we can’t let it go to waste,” I said playfully, tilting my head as I tried to gauge his reaction. I then began to walk toward the table, eyeing everything in place, from the elegantly folded napkins to the glimmering silverware. Ichiji followed closely behind, his presence a steady warmth at my back.

He escorted me to where we would be sitting, pulling my chair back with a flourish. I glided myself into the seat, feeling the soft fabric of the cushion beneath me. Ichiji settled into the chair next to me, a piece of furniture fit for a king, emphasizing his commanding presence.

A bottle of champagne was brought to the table, the cork popping with a satisfying sound, and our glasses were filled. “A toast… to a wonderful evening,” Ichiji said, raising his glass. I clinked mine against his and took a sip, savoring the crisp bubbles that danced on my tongue.

“You know, Ichiji, I was thinking…” I said, slowly trailing my hand toward his, allowing my fingers to linger against his skin. There was a possessive spark in his gaze as he watched me, a mix of hunger and want that sent shivers down my spine.

“What would it be like if it was just the two of us… with no interruptions?” I let that idea linger in the air between us, watching as his breath hitched at the suggestion.

“Suddenly, I don’t want dinner,” Ichiji replied, rising to his feet and stepping closer to me, the space between us evaporating. Our bodies were nearly touching, and I could feel the heat radiating off him. He pulled me closer, his lips brushing against mine as he lowered his voice, thick with desire. “I want dessert,” he said, before pressing his lips against mine.

With a playful glint in my eye, I subtly bit his lip, eliciting a low groan from him as he gripped me tighter. The shift in power was intoxicating—this time, I was the one in control. I pulled back slightly, looking into his eyes, relishing the mix of desire and confusion swirling within them.

“I think we should save that for after the wedding, don’t you?” I said, my voice dripping with mischief as I toyed with the collar of his shirt. “After all, you’ve gone through all this trouble for dinner. Why not enjoy it first and see how things unfold?”

His brow furrowed, trying to process my words while desire flickered in his gaze, making my heart race. “You can’t just dangle that in front of me and expect me to focus on food,” he replied, a playful challenge lacing his voice.

“Why not?” I shrugged, leaning back against the table, my demeanor relaxed and teasing. “A little anticipation never hurt anyone. Besides, think of it as an appetizer to the real feast we could have later.” I leaned in closer, lowering my voice. “What’s life without a little bit of fun?”

Ichiji’s frustration was evident, but I could see him weighing my words. “You're impossible,” he said, though a smirk tugged at his lips, hinting at the thrill of the chase. I let go and began to make my way toward my chair, but Ichiji had other plans.

Before I could fully settle back, he swiftly pulled me to my feet, his hand finding its way to the small of my back. “You’re not getting away that easily,” he murmured, his voice low and tantalizing, almost a warning.

“Maybe I don’t want to get away,” I teased, gazing up at him with feigned innocence. “What are you going to do about it?”

Ichiji leaned in closer, his breath hot against my ear. “If you keep this up, I might just take you right here, right now. Think about how much fun we could have under this table instead of dining,” he whispered, his possessiveness unmistakable, and the promise of his words sent a thrill down my spine.

“Well, doesn’t that sound tempting?” I replied, smirking as I was about to sit in my chair, but before I could settle, Ichiji pulled me toward his seat. My legs sprawled on each side of him, and he held me, keeping me from falling.

“A chair fit for a king,” I teased, my body pressed against his as I tried to wiggle a little. Ichiji groaned softly, the sound sending a rush of heat through me. I wiggled again, and his response was another low groan, almost desperate.

“Princess… please,” he said, his voice thick with restraint.

“What’s wrong, Ichiji?” I teased, my hand going to grip his shoulder before trailing towards the back of his head, scratching gently. I loved how he reacted, the way his breath hitched at my touch.

In a sudden move, Ichiji gripped me with one arm, lifting me as he stood, and with a swift motion, he scattered the plates and glasses from the table, the sound of shattering glass echoing around us. He laid me down on the table, the cool surface contrasting with the heat radiating from his body. 

“Now, let’s see who’s in control here,” he said, his voice low and hungry as he leaned over me, his eyes darkening with desire. I could feel the power radiating from him, a magnetic force that drew me in even further. Ichiji pulled my legs closer to his waist, his warmth igniting a fire within me.

With a swift motion, he discarded his suit jacket and began to unbutton his shirt, revealing toned skin beneath. I couldn’t help but admire the sight, my heart racing with anticipation. In a teasing move, I pulled on his red tie, bringing him close to me as I captured his lips in a passionate kiss.

Our mouths moved in perfect harmony, the taste of him intoxicating as I continued to discard his dress shirt, tossing it aside without a second thought. I moaned into the kiss, the sensation heightening as his hands roamed my body, igniting every nerve ending with his touch. Despite the overwhelming pleasure, a small voice in the back of my mind screamed to get a hold of myself, but the heat of the moment was too intoxicating to resist.

Ichiji suddenly pulled away for a moment, his breath heavy and labored, as he deftly undid his tie. My heart raced with curiosity, watching as he expertly tied my wrists together with it, the fabric warm against my skin, adding an unexpected thrill to the moment.

“What are you planning?” I asked, my voice a mix of eagerness and challenge, my pulse quickening as he held my wrists firmly.

Ichiji smirked, a glint of mischief dancing in his eyes. “Just a little fun, princess. Let’s see how you handle being at my mercy,” he replied, his voice smooth as silk, sending a shiver down my spine. 

Before I could respond, Ichiji silenced me with a kiss, capturing my lips with a fervor that left me breathless. His grip was possessive as he held my hands above my head, the tie he had used a tangible reminder of his control over me. I felt his other hand slip down, gripping one of my legs and pulling it toward his waist, the heat of his body igniting a fire within me as he began to trail kisses down my neck.

Each soft touch sent sparks racing through my veins, building an intensity that made my heart race. Once he found my sweet spot, I couldn’t help but moan loudly, the sound escaping my lips before I could stop it. “Fuck, Ichiji,” I gasped, arching my back, surrendering to the sensations flooding my body. His hand tightened around my thigh, anchoring me in place as he continued to worship my neck with his lips, his breath hot against my skin.

“Just like that, princess,” he murmured, his voice low and filled with a primal hunger. “Let me hear you.” The way he spoke, so full of confidence and desire, only fueled my arousal further, making me crave more of him.

Suddenly, he pulled back slightly, his gaze mischievous as he reached for a tray sitting nearby. His fingers wrapped around an ice cube, and I watched, intrigued, as he brought it close. The cold glimmering against the dim light only heightened my anticipation. He traced the ice cube along my collarbone, the chill contrasting sharply with the heat radiating from his body.

I shivered at the sensation, the icy touch sending a jolt through me that was both thrilling and tantalizing. “What are you doing?” I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper as the ice moved down my skin, leaving a trail of cold that made me ache for his warmth.

Ichiji smirked, his eyes darkening with intent as he continued to glide the ice cube across my skin. “Just making sure you remember who you belong to,” he replied, his voice smooth and dripping with desire. My hands were still tied, one of Ichiji’s hands holding me in place, the other tracing a path down my body.

Then, with a teasing flick of his wrist, he slid the ice cube inside my dress, resting it directly on my breast. The shock of the cold against my skin made me gasp as the cold began to seep through the fabric of my gold dress, a stark contrast to the warmth of his body so close to mine.

Ichiji’s eyes locked onto mine, a playful challenge glimmering in their depths. “Let’s see how long you can handle this,” he murmured, lowering his head to lick a trail along my collarbone, his tongue warm and inviting against the chill of the ice. Each sweep sent waves of sensation rippling through me, contrasting with the cold, igniting a fire that made me squirm against him.

His mouth moved lower, trailing kisses down the side of my breast where the ice rested, and the sensation was exquisite, pushing me closer to the edge of my desire. I arched my back, chasing the feeling as his lips met the damp fabric of my dress, teasingly pressing against me.

“Are you enjoying this, princess?” he whispered, his breath hot against my skin, a stark contrast to the ice. I could barely form a response, lost in the sensations flooding my body. My heart raced as the combination of heat and cold heightened my every nerve.

“Yes, Ichiji,” I finally managed to gasp, my voice breathless. “More… please.”

He chuckled, a low, deep sound that vibrated through me, and I could see the pleasure in his eyes at my surrender. With a wicked grin, he took the ice cube from my dress, his fingers brushing against my skin, and brought it back to my lips, his gaze daring me to take it. I opened my mouth instinctively, and he pressed the ice against my tongue, a rush of cold flooding my senses as he leaned in closer, claiming my lips once again.

Ichiji darkly laughed, his lips brushing against mine once more. “Now, about dessert…” he murmured, his body pinning me down on the table, creating an intoxicating mix of heat and urgency. I felt the weight of his body pressing against me, my leg hoisted around his waist, and the undeniable pressure of him against me sent my heart racing.

Just as I was losing myself in the moment, a familiar voice cut through the air like a knife. “Well, well, well, what do we have here?” Yonji’s teasing tone echoed in the dining hall as he strolled in, a mischievous grin plastered on his face.Ichiji's expression darkened immediately, his body tensing as he turned to face Yonji, his posture protective, yet filled with a simmering anger. "Get out," Ichiji snapped, his voice low and firm, but his eyes were cold with a warning.

Yonji raised an eyebrow, the mischievous glint in his eyes only growing brighter as he took in the sight before him. "Well, well," he said, his voice dripping with amusement, "Seems like my brother's been busy. I never thought I'd see the day when Ichiji gets so cozy with his bride-to-be." He paused, his grin widening as he took a slow step forward. "This certainly changes the dynamics, doesn’t it?"

My heart raced, the realization of the position we were in hitting me all at once. Ichiji’s tie still loosely held my wrist, my leg wrapped around him in an undeniably intimate way. I could feel the heat in my cheeks, mortified at being caught in such a vulnerable moment.

I couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly, trying to ease the tension, though it only seemed to add fuel to the fire. "Well, this is something," I muttered, glancing up at Ichiji, who was already glaring at his younger brother. I could practically feel the waves of frustration radiating from him.

Ichiji’s grip on me tightened, and he stood up, lifting me gently, his eyes locked onto Yonji’s. "This isn’t your concern," Ichiji growled, his voice sharp as he moved to put space between us, trying to shield me from Yonji's relentless teasing.

“Aw, come on,” Yonji continued, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Can’t a brother just check in on his sibling? I thought you were supposed to be charming her with your romantic dinner, not getting all handsy.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, the tension dissipating as Ichiji shot Yonji a warning look, his possessiveness bubbling beneath the surface. “Why don’t you mind your own business?” he retorted, but I could see the flush creeping up his cheeks, a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment.

“Fine, fine,” Yonji said, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Just remember, you’re both still on the clock. The wedding’s tomorrow, after all.”

His words hung in the air, reminding me of the very reason we were in this elaborate chateau in the first place. This was my perfect excuse to make my exit. I smiled sweetly at Ichiji, relishing the way his expression shifted from desire to annoyance. “Well, it seems I should head back to my room before I cause too much trouble. I’m sure I’ll see you later tonight… or should we switch roles, and I meet you in your room?” I teased, knowing full well I planned to snoop around this chateau later.

Ichiji’s eyes darkened with possessiveness at the suggestion, a hint of frustration in his voice as he replied, “You don’t have to leave just because he showed up. I—”

“Don’t worry, Ichiji,” I interrupted, biting my lip to suppress a smile. “I’ll come back. I’m just… ensuring that I’m not caught causing any more scandal.”

“Oh, I see how it is,” Yonji chimed in, his grin widening. “You’re just going to leave him hanging like this? How cruel, Y/N. I’d say you’re breaking his poor little heart.”

“Shut up, Yonji!” Ichiji growled, his grip tightening on my waist, the possessiveness radiating from him as if he were silently claiming me all over again.

“Maybe I’ll tell the whole family about this little rendezvous,” Yonji teased, clearly enjoying his brother's discomfort. “Imagine the scandal at the wedding if they found out their charming groom couldn’t keep his hands to himself!”

“Try it, and I’ll make sure you regret it,” Ichiji shot back, but there was a playful glint in his eyes that suggested he wasn’t truly angry.

I stood up, the tension in the air shifting as I adjusted my dress and let the tie fall from my wrists, relishing the lingering sensation of Ichiji’s touch. “Guess I’ll see you both later,” I said, throwing a wink at Ichiji that promised more to come.

As I turned to leave, I heard Ichiji’s voice behind me, low and intense. “Don’t think for a second that I’ll forget this, Y/N.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” I replied, a thrill racing through me as I walked away, the anticipation of what was to come leaving me breathless. But I was already gliding past Yonji, a playful smirk on my lips as I exited the dining hall, leaving the brothers to their bickering. The night was still young, and I had my own plans set in motion.

[mr-glove]

Icle peak island

An island with mountains so high you can touch the clouds. I crudly drew some trees on it. On the top of the mountain there's a cave that houses an item as proof that you've reached the top and are officially on the ½ way point of the race.

There are some crudly drawn trees who might come up later.

I felt ½ Genie hero was missing a snow level and I needed a new location with the carpet race not being a thing in my AU.

If you turn the screen 135° clock wise you'll see a location inside the cave with ice stalactites hanging over a deep pit. But if you want the item you'll need to get it away from the beast that lives as the apex on this island.

Please ignore the weak excuse for saber toothed beast that was redrawn from memory. I'll post more info about that later.

[1000sunnygo]

hello sunny

I’ve always liked your analysis and I’d like your opinion on this’s matter.

Im a firm believer that Kidd isn’t actually died, Oda barely kills anyone actually. But I’ve read some folks say Kidd coming back would considered a “bad writing”?

He doesn’t seem to have any relevance to the plot at the moment other than wanting to be the next PK, but again he cant be in the final race because lost his Poneglyph to shanks. (Only if Oda decides he is a D/ witch is a meh to me, i don’t imagine him hiding it and him having one is kind of out character(?) ).

there are many theories and speculations about the three captains forming an alliance again in Elbaf witch I dread haha, mainly because I feel like him forming an alliance again is unfair to his presence& development in the story and feels repetitive, that goes to Law too.

If this isn’t something you don’t want to discuss by all means ignore this message. Thank you.

I was contemplating about watching the last episode but decided to give it a go after receiving the ask...

God was it bone-chilling. Really felt like a farewell.

Have to admit that it was a great episode. Namikawa san (Kidd VA) posted a tweet on Sunday: "One Piece's sakuga is absurdly incredible. I remember wringing out my soul and pouring everything into my voice while recording. Shanks is too strong. Kidd deserves all the love." (x)

But, no, I don't think Kidd is dead. All three Captains were hyped until only few chapters prior to this. The Elbaf incident might've been in Oda's drafts when this came out.

Yet, we're supposed to believe that Luffy and Law will have plot relevance, while Kidd just dies? I wouldn't call it good writing, it's a cop-out. The series is reaching the final arc with packed developments, IMO it makes no sense to equip a character with advanced combative power like conqueror's haki just to kill him off in his next appearance.

The chance of Kidd being a D is very slim because the theme of inherited will isn't in his character thus far. And two major arcs with similar alliances is unlikely (Personally, I don't want Law anywhere near Elbaf). Kidd's character arc doesn't seem to have a strong motif in relation to the overarching plot progression.

If that's the case, I wonder what "importance" Oda had in mind for Kidd when he created him.

I've seen some theories floating online, my personal speculations pretty much reach a similar conclusion.

For some reason, Oda has been continuously shoving Kidd towards Shanks' direction since the timeskip. Shanks is a core character, his concept and conclusion has to be decided from the start. It's possible that Oda wanted (and still wants) to involve Kidd in Shanks's (very likely) demise.

Returning to the episode, this was the scene that felt like a farewell.

Unlike Heart pirates, Kidd pirates received an ominous end note implying that they're completely decimated. If Kidd's crews, particularly Killer - die from this, it would push Kidd to focus solely on avenging them. He may ally himself with Blackbeard. IIRC, Blackbeard pirates don't have an engineer onboard. Kidd's power and skills may come in handy in the handling of an ancient weapon or a similar power source if Blackbeard manages to nab one; there's been some convincing theories about Kidd and Vegapunk sharing some connection too. Oda has been writing Kidd as a sympathetic character, so if he's involved in Shanks's death in such scenario, his action will be somewhat understandable.

Even if it doesn't take a dark turn, Kidd can still aid in the final battle, there are many enemies to defeat. We haven't been disappointed by Luffy's choice of friends so it's possible that Kidd would eventually back track from the revenge plan and reflect on his own actions.

Many readers have a mindset that Kidd deserves a bad end because he's not a "fundamentally good person" as Luffy, or even Law. Arrogance sure, but I don't think Oda would punish Kidd for his violent track record. Oda's initial concept distinguished adventure loving pirates from regular ones, but he corrected it and blurred the boundaries. Luffy is a pirate and pirates aren't supposed to be nice people. He finds his allies from within.

[teamplasmaofficial]

***RP STARTER***

There was a loud crashing noise heard from near the entrance followed by large, heavy footsteps. These were supposedly made by someone running throughout the castle. As the seconds went by, the grew louder and louder, approaching Ghetsis at a decently high speed.

Suddenly they stopped. There was a brief moment of silence. What the fuck? The silence was then quickly broken by a ear-piecing banging noise and the sound of a door being slammed up against something. The wall or the floor, presumably. A voice was then heard, yelling. A... familiar voice.

"HEYA, GHETSIS!" Archie shouted, lowering his foot back down onto the ground. This fucking pirate for real just busted down this guy's door. With his foot. Just fucking kicked it in. Okay, Archibald. Alright.

Before the footsteps, Ghetsis had been sitting in his office, the shadow triad standing attentively before him, receiving their usual daily debrief.

At first, he presumed it to be another worthless grunt with a promise of an ‘incredibly rare pokémon’ (most likely another absol). Though, the footsteps seemed much to heavy for any grunt he could think of, plus, they’d been firmly told not to run in any part of the castle.

As the thundering grew closer he narrowed his eyes, gesturing for each shadow to take a defensive position somewhere in the room. Perhaps an escaped pokémon? A planned attack from the pokémon league?

With each thud on the door he grips his cane tighter, a practiced deadpan on his face despite the racing of his heart.

Oh my Arceus..

“Archibald?!” he quickly takes to his feet, slamming his cane into the floor. “Did I not prohibit you from entering these grounds?” he scowls, the beautifully ornate door still on its hinges, thank arc. He sighs, gesturing for the triad to fall at ease. Regardless, they take their places surrounding the intruder.

He pinches the bridge of his nose, not even bothering to ask how the man passed his grunts, “what is the purpose of this visit?”

@team-aqua-official ))

[atiny-for-life]

Ateez's Full Storyline Explained - Part 19

Masterlist

미친 폼 (Crazy Form) (Z-World)

Before we begin, I'd like to say that I'm writing under the assumption that Ateez are taking a backseat this comeback while the Black Pirates are leading the fight in the streets. This is based on the group's comments prior to the album's release, as well as last album's diary entries which left Ateez in a precarious situation that doesn't align with the happenings in this MV.

We open at night time on a shot of the Black Pirates (in marching-band-esque outfits reminiscent of Wonderland) and their fellow Revolutionists crouching in line in front of a structure which looks like two roofs lined up side by side where the dip between the two cradles the city skyline illuminated by a crescent moon (reminder that the nature of the Cromer‘s powers are affected by the moon cycles).

Keep in mind that Crescent Part 2 can be found on this album while the first part can be found on TREASURE EP.3 : One To All which includes 'Illusion' and 'Wave' - two songs heavily leaning into the concept of dreams and traveling into them by utilizing the Cromer‘s powers. This also aligns with the Alice in Wonderland themed promotions.

Regarding the latter: throughout the MV, you will see colors blur and get splotchy every now and again, indicating this is likely to be a dream transmitted to the citizens to fire them up for the upcoming main event of the revolution. This would also further support my assumption that we only get to see the Black Pirates here as they're the ones visiting others' dreams, not Ateez who seem to be unable to control this power fully and usually just end up in a shared dream among themselves.

Back to the MV: the captain begins to strut down the center aisle between the crouched rows like the runway model he is as he's instructing them to 'Get up'.

Once he's reached the front, everyone breaks formation and jumps right into the performance. The lyrics here already inform us of their intent - follow along, join us, put yourself first and stick it to the authorities.

Side-note: it was bugging me that I couldn't figure out what 9024 could mean so I dug a little and found an explanation by Reddit user " rowtyde37" who explains: "It's actually 90-2-4. So, it is the drums but they are telling you out the gate it's 90 beats per min, 2 quarter (4) notes (beats) each bar. Just a heads up on the drums coming to invade your space."

We cut to Yunho in comfy clothes and a headband back in the bunker who's sitting at a large table covered in blueprints as he activates a palm-sized Iron Man arc reactor looking thing that turns out to be a hologram projector.

Blue tinted holograms of the pirate ship's main mast, buildings, and pieces of teach are floating around him as he flips through them.

Throughout this scene, we regularly cut to Yunho dancing with four fellow revolutionists in a round underground space lined with doors (because he's the main dancer and he deserves this).

We cut to Mingi in a fully black getup with hat inside what looks to be a surveillance room situated in one of the rooftop-like buildings we saw at the start of the video.

His performance there is interspliced with clips of him outside in a suit as he's getting into a car and speeding through the city full of neon signs.

This maniac races into a black alley where he crashes his car straight through the wall of a small unassuming building which turns out to be a casino.

His idgaf attitude takes him straight to the bar where he pours himself a cocktail glass of milk which the bartender doesn't seem to mind.

Once his glass has been emptied, he opens the small metal suitcase near his elbow which contains another of the hologram projectors. I've rewatched the scene frame-by-frame and it seems the case was already there when he arrived so I'll assume the bartender is providing it to aid in the revolution.

This belief is reinforced when we get a shot of Mingi's empty glass filled with a stack of olives impaled by a black cocktail flag sporting the red encircled A representing both Ateez and Anarchy throughout this era.

Moving on to Wooyoung who's joining Yunho in the bunker, though in his own corner where he's surrounded by pieces of tech and holograms. He's wearing an oversized plaid shirt, glasses so large they're reminiscent of safety goggles, and black and silver gloves.

And honestly, I don't know how tech-savvy this little gremlin actually is since he's currently hammering a long-ass nail into the metal hull of some piece of equipment prior to chucking said hammer across the room with what seems to be a pout.

Said hammer shoots by behind Yunho, who's sitting several feet away, before it slams into something off screen and sets off a shower of sparks.

Yunho gapes at him for a sec before he throws up his arms ("The fuck, man?"), to which Wooyoung looks unfazed and points at him ("You asked me to toss it over, why're you mad?") followed by a half eyeroll and look away ("You're overreacting.").

Just then, a warning pops up on Yunho's holo-screen which causes Wooyoung to jog over as well.

We cut to a poker table where a game is in full swing and one of the player's is Jongho dressed up in a simple black suit. We're inside the casino Mingi literally drove into earlier.

The other two players seems to be some high-ranking officials in the military or police force, at least that's what I generally assume every time I see older men in uniform in anything. (In the Making Film, they simply call them "high officials from the Z-World")

Jongho proceeds to hold up the ace of Anarchy which causes one of the uniformed men to pull a gun on him under the table - an action both Jongho and Mingi are clearly aware of since Mingi steps up beside Jongho right away.

Without missing a beat, Jongho snatches up the gun hidden in the waistband of Mingi's pants and points it straight at his opponents. He doesn't hesitate to pull the trigger.

Cut to Seonghwa set up right outside the heavily fenced off 'Area 08'. He's performing on a makeshift stage right by the gate, surrounded by warning signs telling people to stay away. The building behind the fence is covered in banners sporting the Black Pirates' Z-logo we've last scene in 'Bouncy'.

His audience is made up of fellow revolutionists donning all black robes while he himself is dressed in a flowy white shirt, silver jewelry and a black corset with matching pants. It's clear who's not afraid to be recognized by anyone who could be spying.

The next scene reveals that San and Yeosang are also joining him for this performance, though the scene is interspliced with fleeting clips of all of a larger number of Black Pirates performing together in a back alley lined with shuttered store fronts and neon signs.

It seems to be San, Yeosang, Hongjoong, Wooyoung and Seonghwa who we'll see again a coupla scenes later in the same room Yunho danced in earlier.

Cut to Yeosang and Hongjoong in yet another alley during daylight hours. They brought spraypaints and a skateboard.

It's quickly made evident why they chose to go out during the day for once - they plan to appear on the news.

As Hongjoong reaches the line "Crazy boys are getting crazier", the video takes on a familiar news channel framing. The classic globe logo in the bottom left corner runs through several random letter combinations (the channel has no clear name) until it transforms into the two words "Breaking News".

A recorded feed from the casino's surveillance camera pops up in the top left corner - the scene with Jongho and Mingi played out just last night.

Simultaneously, the news ticker at the bottom of the screen informs us that "The Black Pirates break into the Lounge".

Shout out to Hongjoong's black fingernail. (Join the Polished Man Campaign here)

After all the ruckus Hongjoong has already caused, he somehow manages to twirl in a circle as he shoots bullets from his finger gun into the air.

The power of his imagination is truly something to behold. However, it's far more likely that this is just another indicator that we're not in a regular world but rather a dream transmitted to the locals to fire them up for the upcoming revolution.

Either way, Hongjoong's goofy bout of wackiness alerts the authorities who begin to chase him down the alley which only seems to get him more motivated to dive deeper into a pool of mischief.

He hops onto a car surrounded by armed cops and begins to wiggle his hips to provoke them further. What a legend.

Cut to him spray painting a white line across a wall covered in their own revolution flyers before passing Yeosang who ends up with a white streak straight across his black jacket.

He throws up his hands as he looks after his captain ("Why would you-?")

While once again fleeing from the authorities, Hongjoong nearly collides with a black car which sped up to him. The scene transforms into a comic book panel (this is not the real world).

He rolls across the hood and lands on the other side, only to lean over the hood with a smirk. Another comic panel forms.

Cut to a maniacally laughing Seonghwa getting dragged along by his own audience.

This is closely followed by San showing us his signature peace/middle finger - the return of these gloves is unexpected but welcome, especially in such a idgaf, I'll do what I want MV.

Between group performance clips, we return to Wooyoung in the bunker where he's looking at a hologram of their pirate ship which we'll see again shortly. It has been missed.

We also get to see Yeosang spraypaint "Be Free" onto a shutter door (which joins a marker written 'We Know', referencing the first track on the album).

A scene later, we see the full picture - three shutters, all covered in their signature Z and those two red words: Be Free. The message that connects all versions of Ateez across the multitude of realities.

We return to Jongho in the casino who just fired off three rounds in quick succession while Mingi stands by to watch their maknae go rogue. He must be proud.

One of the bullets swishes past a sprinkler, setting it off, while another pieces the wall and destroys the TV in the neighboring room just as an Android Guardian was seen on screen. It's very symbolic.

Our Haribo walks off with a satisfied lil smirk as the sprinklers gently drizzle him.

Between further performance clips, we return to Hongjoong who's being pushed onto the hood of a car by the cops who'd been hounding him.

He manages to free an arm and affixes a gadget that looks like another holo-projector onto the side of the vehicle which proceeds to eject a beam of light.

The activation signals Wooyoung in the bunker who looks up through a hologram circle. A pulse of light washes across the entire city, dousing it in darkness as a familiar pirate ship appears in the sky like a literal glowing ghost ship; it’s the hologram Wooyoung and Yunho had been working on this entire time.

The moon now appears full as the Black Pirates laugh and celebrate, smirking up to the sky, performing across locations, drinking in the casino/bar which leads me to reasonably believe they really did complete the mission between the two moon cycles but the way they went about it was different from the wackiness that took place in the dream world.

We end with them back at the double-roof structure before the screen cuts to black.

We've done it! Freedom has been achieved in Z-World! This may be the last time we ever see the Black Pirates since Ateez say their goodbyes and return back to the A-World in the Golden Hour: Part 1 - Diary Entries

However, the music video has not ended yet: a beat later, a shattered glowing Cromer appears on screen.

From it rises a bluebird, the one we've last seen in Halazia. It's holding a red pulsating object in its beak as it rises up to the night sky where a red full moon has risen.

The next few videos will be about Halazia World's Ateez - see you there!

[cauqhtz]

My opinion about Luffy and the world of one piece.

What does Luffy or One Piece in general mean to you?

I'll start! This is completely my opinion and my personal feelings!

I should start off my saying I am a hard person to please. I'm extremely "picky" with every aspect of my life. For example: I hate it when my food touches, even when I'm eating it. I eat it in order. there are exceptions though. I do like for my collard greens and rice to touch but only if I put them together. I still plate them separately.

It's ridiculous and sooo annoying but its a serious thing for me. It's like trying to swallow a pill. I physically cannot force myself to swallow anything that dont fit those standards.

It's like this for every aspect of my life. Books, movies, JOBS, tv shoes, etc..

the first time I tried watching one piece i turned it off maybe not even a minute after watching the first half of the first episode. I remember seeing nami at a party and her looking out to see the whirlpool and I got the wrong idea about what the anime was about so i swore off it.

Maybe a year later I saw a instagram post. It was basically saying how they didnt understand how they found a pirate story about some kid made of rubber kicking everyone's asses entertaining. I was in disbelief and kind of took it as a challenge. It sounded absolutely ridiculous to me at the time so I gave it another shot.

As soon as Luffy popped out of that barrel knocking one of those guys out saying he'd catch a cold for sleeping right there? I was laughing. ME? LAUGHING? To say I was sold would be an understatement.

Then theres the part where Luffy expresses his dream to be king. It wasnt because of some overused reason like very other anime like childhood trauma. It was because he wanted to. Thats it and thats all. I was blown away. My heart raced with excitement after that speech from luffy and I binged watched the episodes from then on.

I was obsessed. (Still obsessed) Back then I was still in highschool and I was binging the episodes from the moment I woke up, during all my classes and lunch, after school and falling asleep to it.

I think the only anime I binged like that would be HXH another anime I'm still obsessed with.

One of the funniest episodes of one piece for me is 497. I was rewatching the marine ford arc and I was in tears laughing at this episode.

But back to the question!

As a young woman of color? Luffy is a dream to me. Luffy is the perfect mixture of malcom x and MLK. He's what I think the world needs. He's one of a damn kind, there is NO character like him or story like one piece PERIOD and there's no amount of hate from naruto fans that'll make that less true.

The only character that is unafraid of crying, laughing, fucking up, tripping up in front of friends and enemies alike.

insanely selfish but he's strong. He can have his friends, hell he can make new friends and have them ALL by his side or far away from him. All alive and fucking thriving, why? because he fucking said so. He's strong in more ways than one. He has that luxury.

He's unafraid of asking for help. He has never once acted as though everyone else is beneath him and he can do everything by himself.

Gets pissed when he finds his vest with flowers sewed into it, wanting to be a manly man but unbothered at eating all the love themed food sanji makes specifically for nami and robin.

He has asked forced Pirate Hunter Zoro to join his crew? Nah thats just zoro his best friend and the guy who ate stomped out sand covered chocolate rice balls out of respect for the little girl he saved from Helmeppo.

Cat burglar nami? Nami the navigator. Her maps and weather skills are unreal!

Sniper king the liar? Yup but he's a damn good sharpshooter.

Black Leg/ Vinsmoke Sanji isnt he apart of a family of comicbook villians? Thats just Sanji! One of the best chefs in the world!

Tony Tony Chopper the raccoon dog that happens to be a doctor? Oh no thats chopper. Our crews miracle treasure. He's a talking reindeer monster.

The demon child is on your crew? Huh? Demon child? You can't mean robin! She's a good friend of mine and she's an archeologist! I'd have to kick your ass if you think otherwise! :D

Cyborg Franky? Oh yeah I couldnt take the sunny without him! They're a package deal!

The humming swordsman? Oh you mean brook! He's a talking, singing afro skeleton not to mention hilarious! The part about him being a sword-swinging musician was just a plus!

The first son of the sea jinbei...A fishman? Hell yeah! He's THE fishman! Jinbei is a good friend of mine and the 10th member I've been looking for!

Luffy's crew is a dumpster fire of diversity. That right there is rare within itself. I mean it's a Japanese show, yet most of the main characters aren't japanese! They originate from a little bit of everywhere across the globe!

They all look different and act different. They are all flawed and yet Luffy accepts them with open fucking arms with his TRADEMARKED grin nearly splitting his face in half!

Speaking of accepting them! Luffy is always overjoyed when reuniting with his crew. Jumping to give them hugs, screaming his hellos, jumping up and down, lunging forward to give them hugs, and waving with excitement at the sight of his friends.

I mean Luffy is unfucking matched. Even his voice is one of a kind and so fucking satisfying for his dialogue??

Two of my favorite quotes from Luffy are:

"I'm kicking your ass and wrecking your birdcage."

"Speak up for yourself, aren't you the leader of these guys? SAY SOMETHING ALREADY!"

Luffy's very name holds mind-melting weight.

I just recently found out that his brother ace was the one that came up with "Gum gum Rocket." Something I'm now pissed at OPLA for giving Garp the credit of.

Luffy as a captain doesnt do major plans or specific orders. He says something and his crew either follows along or finds their own objective for example the punk hazard arc when law asked luffy if he was going to leave his crew on the island to do what they said they wanted to do and leave with him to fight kaido.

Luffy refused saying if his crew was staying to get their own things done then so was he and that Law had to get used to it quick.

Luffy is freedom in physical form. There one second and gone the next. Something that gave Law heart palpitations.

ALSO SCREW YOU LAW FOR TELLING CHOPPER TO SHUT UP WHEN HE TOLD YOU BYE IN WANO!

Luffy has no rhyme or reason for doing things the way he does other than the fact that thats just who he is. Something that only Zoro and Robin TRULY understand. Chopper understood this recently, just before the time-skip.

For example when big mom assumed luffy was there in wano to pick a fight with kaido and luffy denied it sternly.

confusing everyone around him including nami and carrot.

He went onto say everyone not only responsible but associated would be getting their asses kicked.

And thats EXACTLY what happened.

Zoro wasnt even there for that and he was already cutting the majority of their members in half.

MIND YOU. LUFFY AND HIS CREW DIDNT PLAN ANYTHING. NOR WERE THEY AWARE OF THAT PLAN. ALL THEY HAD WERE DISGUISES AND THEIR WITTS.

You'd think that with every plan luffy screws up they'd be major consequences? NOPE bc he's stronger than that. Everyone else would have to adapt or get their asses kicked.

jinbei fought with luffy in the fishman island arc. not wanting luffy to make matters worse, instead wanting him to be seen as a hero to which luffy refused saying he's not a hero and that he had to get to his friends... until jinbei said and i quote. "Luffy, I'll let you have all the meat you want! Just do as I say!"

To which luffy agreed after a few more pleas.

friends and enemies are one in the same to him.

You want to hit him? Fine he doesnt care. but Lie to him? He's about to shove his foot up your ass.

You want to take credit for his wins unless your law or kid? Hell yeah! Couldn't have done it without you!

You want to defend him? Dont bother. This is his business. Stay the hell out of it.

You want to cry? Suck it up! Crying wont fix anything so get the fuck up and do something about it already!

You want to ask him for help? Sure! Anything! As long as you're the right person asking!

You want to call him a hero? Literally might knock your lights out.

You want to put him down in history and tell everyone what he and his crew did? Don't bother he's not interested.

I mean the list goes on and on. I can talk about luffy and one piece for HOURS and never get bored.

Luffy is a dream to me. I tear up thinking about him and wishing to be apart of that world for even a day.

Thats what Luffy means to me.

[felyas-stuff]

TMNT 2012 Space Arc Rewrite: Fugitoid

First in-depth character post for our rewrite is about Honeycutt because this rewrite was made by me and my friend @unscapedgoat what else were you expecting

All of the art featured here is a year and a half old at this point because we’ve been working on this rewrite for a long time and just didn’t post anything…the perfectionist in me says that I can do better but I won’t because the designs themselves are still relevant (though I recommend checking out this post for the characters designs). Speaking of…

Appearance

Zayton is a d’hoonib - a humanoid alien with big cat and eagle like features. He’s 6’1 feet and hundreds if not thousands of years old at this point - he’s old even for a long-living race. For his clothes I went for a mix of sad beige (because HAVE YOU SEEN HIS SHIP DECOR) and pirate (because he’s an outlaw who has a ship you know…some of you might even remember my "ship in the bottle" doodles) vibes

Fusiontoid is a modified 6 feet SAL model (both the original robot and the modificated version were created by Honeycutt). Compared to a regular SAL model, this one’s pearly-white instead of silver, has slim claw-like fingers, built-in weaponry and wires going from his brain to his main engine that function as neurons. When he’s not on Ulixes he carries an oxygen ballon because…human(oid) brains need that you know! He also has a spacesuit that he uses both as an oxygen ballon alternative and a disguise.

Story

Just like in IDW, SAL was one of Rewrite!2012 Honeycutt’s first inventions…which he later started mass-producing and selling because from what it seems like in OG and our AU 2012 Zayton is a freelancer from a rich family who earns money by selling various inventions of his. They did keep one SAL model for himself though, and later added a bunch of adjustments and renovations to it. Soon after his parents death Zayton started adding other renovations for his robot as well as rewriting the code and adding in a certain protocol, experimenting with the idea of making SAL his future body - after all, the man is old and dying is scary…The project however was scrapped when it was almost finished, after the scientist realised how risky this whole thing is and how easily it can go wrong. One of Honeycutt’s most recent inventions was the Black Hole generator. Something that can be used for good (it could’ve been a great power source for example) but all the potential buyers wanted to use to for mass murder - something the scientist didn’t want to happen. But because Zayton refused to sell their invention to anyone, he started to run out of money, making it hard for him to even pay for his home/ship Ulixes. The rumours of a brilliant scientist being this desperate for money started spreading near and far. This is when the Krang decided to show up and offered such a huge payment, that at this point Honeycutt just couldn’t refuse.

But hours after that Zayton realised that what he did was truly horrible and by this time the Krang could’ve killed millions of innocent people. And, just how Honeycutt thought - days later triceratons broke into Ulixes, asking the scientist to build them the same invention Krang used to destroy their home planet. Zayton refused, and before the triceratons killed him, Honeycutt gave one last order to his robot: destroy the heart of darkness

Hours later, Honeycutt wakes up in SAL’s body, only now realising that even though the brain transferring project was scrapped it was still a part of his robot’s new program - and, by following that program, it revived its creator in its own body. And, if it wasn’t already bad enough - Honeycutt’s new body will follow Honeycutt’s latest order of destroying the black hole generator no matter what. Horrified at the thought of being forever stuck in a robot’s body and having to eventually sacrifice himself to right his wrongs, the scientist just sits there for a good minute, trying to get their new body to move while thinking about what the hell is he gonna do now

Meanwhile Nathan Bishop (this rewrite’s OC inspired by 2012 Bishop because let’s be real 2012 Bishop isn’t much like Bishop and should’ve just been a new character with the same surname or something) finds out about what his old pal Zayton did and he’s pissed. He doesn’t tell about this to other utroms and just storms off to Ulixes to tell Honeycutt that he has less than an hour to explain himself, run as far as he can, and pray to god that they will die sooner than the Utrom Council finds and executes him. But Bishop quickly changes his mind once he sees what once was his friend - a brutally disfigured humanoid body and a scared robot covered in blood. Honeycutt quickly explains this whole situation and Nathan decides to stay at Ulixes for longer and help him. Because cutting off their ties now would just be cruel - clearly, Honeycutt already got consequences for his actions and regrets what they did.

Later on the two discover just how unstable Zayton’s current state is - in our rewrite AU he’s not just "jittery and nervous" because of his fusion core - he’s a robot filled to the brim with formaldehyde. A liquid of polar molecules. Honeycutt made sure that there won’t be any leakage, but next to so many electronics short-circuiting is bound to happen. And after a while Zayton’s brain just gives up and their body goes into somewhat of an auto-pilot mode, controlled by SAL. After a good rest (which usually takes a whole day) Zayton gets control of his body back. Yes, he does sleep, that’s something human(oid) brains do. No, you can never tell because he always seems active due to the body being in control of either Honeycutt himself or SAL. The two function separately and have their own memories, the last of SAL’s being that Honeycutt is dead. That’s why the triceratons named him Fusiontoid in the first place - at this point the maul-functioning android is neither fully SAL or Honeycutt, but an uneven mix of both. There is some sort of brain rot going on which results in him forgetting some of their memories. Sometimes Honeycutt uses it to his advantage to seem innocent and unaware of what he did while he was still a humanoid…but most of the times it’s just a huge inconvenience for both Honeycutt himself and his friends, making them question if, at this point, Honeycutt is still…well, Honeycutt.

Nathan, however, trusts his cyborg friend enough to ask him to help his earthling friends. At first Zayton agrees for a selfish reason - saving Earth and destroying the black hole generator would both fulfil his only purpose (from SAL’s perspective) and fix his reputation (the triceratons deemed him a criminal and at this point things Zayton did and what happened to them is a common knowledge for many). However, during their journey Honeycutt gets attached to his new friends and gets an on-screen redemption arc that lasts throughout this rewrite’s space arc - later on they genuinely want to help the main six save their homeplanet and even becomes a father figure for Donnie, Mikey and April and even tries to find another way to destroy the Black Hole Generator without blowing himself up so that the three won’t be sad about his death. Leo is also thrilled about getting a new father but for all the wrong reasons which I’ll talk more about in the next rewrite posts, but in short - Leo sees Honeycutt as a Splinter replacement (art below by @unscapedgoat)

Trivia

• They actually introduce themselves as Fusiontoid Honeycutt to keep their status quo for those who don’t know about his full story yet. He also does his best to keep this image of a silly friendly robot that totally never did anything wrong in his life ever. The more Honeycutt begins to trust the main six, the more he acts as his true self around them, slowly revealing who he really is

• Honeycutt had persistent tic disorder and ADD while he was humanoid which only worsened after he became a cyborg. They’re also autistic

• The bleep-bloop stuff are tics half the times and built-in censorship other times…which is a great robotic body feature to have when your bestie basically asked you to babysit six angsty teens who are constantly getting on your nerves

• Honeycutt used to go by he/him/they/them/it/its but no longer uses the last one because ever since he became a cyborg people only called him that in a derogatory way as if he’s some kind of object

• He used to have great relationships with his parents…and now that they’re gone and Honeycutt himself became a cyborg outlaw they sometimes feels like a disgrace to their family (the fact that some people actually called him out like that also doesn’t help)

• They’re probably the worst father figure imaginable and they know it what they don’t know is that these mutants real dad is even worse Honeycutt’s rather immature despite his age because he had the privilege of never facing any real problems up until now. Sometimes they outright neglect their newfound kids in favour of their own needs (especially at the start of the story) but later on start taking better care of the main six and grows a lot as a person.

• Leo, Honeycutt and Nathan have a bonding experience over the fact that they’re all into cheesy sci-if films from Earth

• Speaking of Earth - that’s one of Honeycutt’s main special interests. He’s especially fascinated with the turtles and April because OMG MUTANTS? YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO THAT WITH UTROM OOZE??? awesomesauce

• Since Honeycutt has memory issues at first he couldn’t remember the main six’s names and called them like their defining traits - Freckles, Toothgap, CrackedShell, Scar, Human and…April. Because a month like that already exists that’s not hard to remember